Largest solar utility PPA since 2015 awarded to Ocean Man First Nation – Discover Weyburn
Jan 30 2024
Estevan will soon see the construction of a 100 megawatts emissions-free solar facility following the approval of a Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) with Ocean Man First Nation, the largest utility PPA in Saskatchewan since 2015. Operating under their lyuhána Solar LP, Ocean Man’s partnership with Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure (GSI) and Saturn Power will oversee the permitting, financing, construction, ownership, operation, and maintenance of this facility. Construction is planned to begin by 2025 and the facility is expected to come online as early as December of 2026, providing enough power for approximately 25,000 homes. Connie Big Eagle, Chief of Ocean Man First Nation, shared her excitement following the announcement and said that the project will bring many lasting opportunities to the community.
“We’re really excited about it because we are a small First Nation, and that we were able to get the bid for the project is a huge achievement,” said Big Eagle. “The name of the project is called ‘lyuhána’, which in our language means ‘all of us’ or ‘everyone’, and the name is meaningful because this project will take care of so many people in different ways. Whether that’s providing employment or powering houses, or down the road, maintenance and operation. Training is also going to be provided for band members to be able to work on the project, so we’re pretty excited and it means a lot to us.”
