The Government of Saskatchewan announced $175,000 in funding on Tuesday morning for the Deep Earth Energy Production Corporation (DEEP) to establish a geothermal power demonstration plant in the Estevan area.
The funds, to be delivered over two years through Innovation Saskatchewan’s Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fund (SAIF), will be used to purchase equipment and build the infrastructure needed to demonstrate the feasibility of geothermal power generation in the province.
DEEP estimates that the hot geothermal aquifer in the project’s selected region near Estevan may support the generation of up to 500 megawatts of power. A Power Purchase Agreement with SaskPower allows for an initial project to be developed that is expected to deliver five megawatts to the provincial grid.
The company has completed a prefeasibility study for the project and will begin drilling the initial production and injection wells in June.
The 3,400-metre deep wells will produce hot brine which DEEP will measure and analyse over 90 days, to determine the project’s economic feasibility. Construction of the above-ground infrastructure would occur in 2018.
From the Global Geothermal News archives:
- Friday, December 8, 2017 - Canada: 5 MW Saskatchewan Geothermal Power Plant to be Built Within Two Years
- Tuesday, May 16, 2017 - Canada: DEEP Geothermal Signs Power Purchase Agreement to Explore 5 MW Project
- Monday, October 31, 2016 - Canada: Drilling at Estevan Geothermal Power Project to Begin Early Next Year
