The City of Moose Jaw is acting on behalf of SaskPower to advise the public that the Great Plains Power Station will be starting a period of steam cleaning tests on a 24-hour basis over the next 10 - 14 days starting Monday, March 18.
The power station is nearing the end of construction and one of the final steps is to clean the new system of any potential contaminants or debris left over from the building process. This is a standard procedure and is known as "steam blows."
If you witness intermittent plumes of steam and muffled noise from the power station during this time, SaskPower has confirmed the process is planned and that there is no danger to the public.
According to SaskPower, the anticipated noise level will be approximately 85 decibels, which is comparable to the traffic in downtown Moose Jaw.
To achieve this reduction in sound, SaskPower will be using a silencer to dim the noise caused by the cleaning process to levels that will interfere with residents in the area as minimally as possible.
The new power plant was built with the goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the province and to offset the retirement of coal-powered plants that have reached the end of their life cycle. SaskPower also projects the demand for electricity in Saskatchewan to continue to grow and the new station will help ensure future demand is met.
The natural gas power plant will provide an additional 377 MW (megawatts) of electricity to the province and has an anticipated life cycle of 25 years.
Construction on the new plant began in March 2021, employed more than 600 workers at the peak of operations, and has supported local businesses with an estimated $257 million as of September 2023. Indigenous employers have received an estimated $46 million of this total amount.
Once construction is completed, SaskPower estimates that approximately $60 million in additional revenue will be generated for Saskatchewan-based businesses and 35 new jobs will be created in relation to the plant's operations, including 25 permanent on-site employees.
The Great Plains Power Station is located southeast of Moose Jaw along Coteau Street East and is expected to enter service in the fall of 2024.
For more information about the new power station, visit SaskPower.com/GreatPlains.
The City of Moose Jaw would like to thank residents for their patience and continued understanding during the testing phase of plant construction.
