ESTEVAN, SASK. – Ottawa is contributing more than $25 million towards Canada’s first geothermal power facility.
The DEEP Earth Energy Production Corporation facility in southeastern Saskatchewan aims to harness heat from the earth’s crust and transform it into electricity to power homes and businesses year-round. DEEP’s geothermal facility will utilize familiar drilling technologies from the oil, gas and mining industry that is already present in the province.
The federal government is chipping in $25.6 million in funding for the five-megawatt (MWe) facility, which will produce enough energy to power approximately 5,000 homes all while taking the equivalent of the yearly emissions of 7,400 cars out of the atmosphere, states a release.
The project is expected to create 100 jobs during construction and new business opportunities for local communities.
Estevan will be able to use excess heat from the facility to warm a 45-acre commercial greenhouse.
“Today’s announcement is an investment in the future of Saskatchewan, and all our children,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a press release. “DEEP’s project has the potential to transform how the province and the country produces energy, while creating good, middle class jobs for Canadians. This is another example of how we’re taking action to fight climate change today while strengthening our communities for tomorrow.”
The DEEP team completed its first geothermal test well in December.
The vertical well is managed by Frontier Project Solutions and was drilled by Horizon Drilling.
With a depth of 3,530 metres, it is the deepest well ever drilled in Saskatchewan’s history.
The well was completed with a slotted production liner, in preparation for the second phase of the pilot project which includes a production flow and build up test this spring.
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