Ottawa, Saskatchewan reach equivalency agreement to phase out coal electricity

REGINA -- Ottawa and Saskatchewan have reached an equivalency agreement which would see the province's coal fleets mostly phased out by 2030.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it's important to phase out coal as an energy source.

He says the agreement with Saskatchewan shows support for the workers currently employed in the industry.

Only one of the province's coal fleets will be active after 2030 because it is equipped with carbon capture and storage.

The province committed to have at least 40 per cent of its electricity generation capacity come from non-emitting energy sources by 2030.

The agreement will be made official once it's signed by both Saskatchewan and Ottawa after a 60-day public comment period.

Saskatchewan's greenhouse gas emissions from electricity producers will be limited to 175 megatonnes.

The province agreed to limit its electricity sector emissions to 33.5 megatonnes in 2019 and not exceed 64.5 megatonnes between 2025 and 2029.

Trudeau also announced $25.6 million on Friday for a geothermal power facility near Estevan, Sask., which the government said is the first of its kind in the country.

The DEEP Earth Energy Production Corp. facility is expected to produce enough energy to power around 5,000 homes.