Renewable energy developer Greenwood Sustainable Infrastructure (GSI) and the Ocean Man Nakoda Nation (OMNN) have broken ground on the 100MWac solar project in Saskatchewan, Canada.
The utility-scale Turning Sun solar plant is being built in the Rural Municipality of Estevan and will operate under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with provincial utility SaskPower.
Try Premium for just $1
- Full premium access for the first month at only $1
- Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
- Cancel anytime during the trial period
Premium Benefits
- Expert industry analysis and interviews
- Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
- Exclusive event discounts
Or get the full Premium subscription right away
Or continue reading this article for free
Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor Barton Malow Canada will lead delivery of the project. The facility will use approximately 200,000 bifacial solar modules supplied by VSUN Solar, while Polar Racking has provided the helical pile foundation system. The project is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026.
“Turning Sun Solar represents the kind of project we are proud to advance, one built on strong partnership, shared purpose and long-term impact,” said Mazen Turk, CEO of GSI. “Together with OMNN, we are delivering a landmark clean energy project that will strengthen Saskatchewan’s power supply, support economic opportunity and reflect our deep commitment to meaningful Indigenous partnerships that are core to our organisational ethos.”
Construction follows the completion earlier this year of a financing package worth more than CAD$200 million (US$143 million), comprising construction-to-term debt and an investment tax credit (ITC) bridge facility. The financing was led by RBC and Desjardins Group and combines private and public capital to support the project’s development, construction and long-term operation.
The project has been developed in partnership with the OMNN, a Nakoda government located in southeast Saskatchewan, and forms part of a broader trend of Indigenous participation in renewable energy infrastructure projects across Canada.
“SaskPower has 700MW of wind and solar in development, all of which has strong Indigenous ownership components,” said Rupen Pandya, CEO. “Turning Sun will provide opportunities for Indigenous business and further economic reconciliation while providing affordable power to our grid.”
At a groundbreaking ceremony for the project, Canada’s federal government announced additional support through Natural Resources Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs). Terry Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, announced a CAD$15 million contribution on behalf of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson.
The SREPs programme is a CAD$4.5 billion federal initiative aimed at supporting clean energy deployment and grid modernisation projects across Canada.
GSI, a subsidiary of the Libra Group, develops, constructs and operates distributed generation, utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects across North America. The company said it has developed approximately 581MWdc across 82 renewable energy projects and currently has a development pipeline of 2.1GW.
