Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
The construction site of the hydroelectric facility at Muskrat Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador is seen on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. As Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey prepares for energy talks with Quebec Premier Francois Legault, a panel recommends the two strike a new Churchill Falls energy deal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew VaughanPRESS/Andrew Vaughan
The announcement of the new “Clean energy investment” involving Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and the federal government is utterly massive, yet did not get a lot of attention out west.
Let’s put this into scale: The entire Saskatchewan electrical grid, if every dam is full, if every wind turbine is turning, every solar panel fully lit at noon on a cloudless day, every coal, natural gas and biomass plant is at 100 per cent, and nothing is down for maintenance, the total theoretical nameplate capacity is 5,973 megawatts. The most we’ve ever produced, to date, is 3,910 megawatts.
This week’s announcement is 14,000 megawatts in scope, although that 14,000 is substantially exaggerated. It includes the existing Churchill Falls development, which across its 11 turbines have a total rated capacity of 5,428 megawatts.
Put yet another way, up until a year or two ago, Churchill Falls Generating Station, alone, had a greater nameplate capacity than the entire Saskatchewan grid. Now they’re going to be adding the equivalent of one and a half more Churchill Falls.
Here’s what the federal press release said, including the cost and original formatting:
Together, these projects represent the largest clean energy investment in North American history, at nearly $70 billion. They will generate 14,000 megawatts of clean, renewable power – nearly tripling the current generating capacity of Churchill Falls. That is enough power to light, heat, and cool all the homes in Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver combined. These projects will support 23,000 jobs – from the skilled trades to engineering – and contribute $31 billion to Canada’s GDP through the early 2040s.
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We just announced the largest clean energy investment in North American history.
In partnership with Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador, we’re going to nearly triple the current generating capacity of Churchill Falls — delivering more clean, reliable, and affordable power for…
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) August 17, 2026
Here’s the additions grid, taken from the federal government’s backgrounder on the announcement:
Churchill Falls upgrades: Expand and extend the lifetime of the existing Churchill Falls strategic electricity generation facility. Upgrades will be made to the 11 turbine units (with one turbine expected to come online each year) at the existing Churchill Falls hydroelectric facility in Labrador to increase capacity by 1,275 megawatts (MW), a 30% efficiency increase for existing turbines. The Churchill Falls expansion will increase capacity by up to 2,500 MW.
Gull Island: Construction of a new 2,700 MW hydroelectric facility located on Churchill River between Churchill Falls and Muskrat Falls. The project is expected to be online between 2036-2037 and is expected to produce about 12 TWh in power which will substantially increase reliable electricity supply for Atlantic Canada and Central Canada. It will also facilitate industrial development and the buildout of more variable renewables in the region, including in neighboring provinces. Gull Island underwent a federal environmental assessment in 2012 as part of the Lower Churchill Hydro Electric Generation Project.
Transmission for Churchill River projects: Construction of transmission lines (660km+) and power infrastructure to enable Churchill Falls and Gull Island to deliver electricity to the Quebec border.
Labrador West Transmission: Construction of a new 735kV transmission line from Churchill Falls to Labrador City to provide new power to the region to serve homes and enable industrial load growth and increased critical minerals development. The existing transmission line serving Labrador City and Wabush / Labrador Trough region are running at maximum capacity. As such, a new transmission line is required to support population growth and to enable new resource development that could create hundreds of new full-time mining jobs and meaningful partnership opportunities with Indigenous groups.
Onshore Wind: Proposed development of 2,000 MW of onshore wind in Labrador, with location and other details under consideration by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
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When you add that all up you get:
- Churchill Falls turbine upgrades 1,275 megawatts
- Churchill Falls expansion 2,500 megawatts
- Gull Island (new hydro facility) 2,700 megawatts
- Wind generation 2,000 megawatts
- Total 8,475 megawatts
When you add the 5,428 megawatts of the existing Churchill Falls, you get 13,903 megawatts, which rounds up to the announced 14,000 megawatts. And the announcement included associated transmission infrastructure to handle all that power.
The federal government’s involvement is providing some of the money. The federal press release said:
As part of this agreement, the federal government will provide $10 billion in federal financing to:
- Upgrade and expand the Churchill Falls Generating Station.
- Develop the massive Gull Island hydroelectricity project.
- Unlock co-investment opportunities with the Innu of Labrador in a major new Labrador onshore wind project.
- Build associated transmission lines.
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The construction site of the hydroelectric facility at Muskrat Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador is seen on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. The Government in Newfoundland and Labrador green-lit Muskrat Falls, a hydroelectricity project that plunged the province into financial and political turmoil. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
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While that might seem like a lot, the final cost of the 824 megawatt Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, on the same river, was $13.5 billion, nearly double its estimated cost from 2012, according to CBC. It was so high that the Trudeau government quietly bailed out the Newfoundland government during early days of the COVID pandemic, lest that province fall into financial ruin. The Government of Newfoundland even commissioned an inquiry into it. The six-volume report, published in 2020 and viewable here, is called “Muskrat Falls, A Misguided Project.”
Here’s the CPAC video of the announcement on July 28, 2021, notable for the “social distancing” between the lecterns and speakers.
Saskatchewan reaction
That brings the broader question of what does this mean to Saskatchewan, which is also looking a major expansion of it power generation capacity? Since hydro requires a. large volumes of water and/or large amounts of elevation change (preferably both, and Saskatchewan lacks both), this province is turning to nuclear.
Asked what the implications the Newfoundland and Quebec announcement has for Saskatchewan’s nuclear ambitions, Minister of Crown Investments Corp and Minister Responsible for SaskPower Jeremy Harrison said by email, “This investment demonstrates the value of collaboration between different levels of government. As Canada works to meet growing energy demands, enhance energy security, and remain competitive on the global stage, strong partnerships and shared investments will be more important than ever. By working together, we can advance projects that support economic growth while ensuring reliable and sustainable energy for generations to come.
“The federal government’s commitment sends a signal of confidence in Canada’s energy sector. Our province is well positioned to benefit from such federal financial support here at home as we bridge to a nuclear future using Saskatchewan uranium, which is clearly in the interest of all Canadians.”
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NDP Shadow Minister for Economy and Jobs Aleana Young said by email, “Another generational federal commitment, and once again Saskatchewan is being left behind. Ottawa is putting $10 billion in financing behind nation-building generation and transmission in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec, while the Sask. Party still has no credible strategy to grow our grid, develop our nuclear and renewable sectors, or attract this scale of investment to Saskatchewan.
“Whether it’s nuclear, natural gas, renewables or interties, investing in Saskatchewan’s grid is the best bang for the federal buck — delivering affordable power for the West, economic growth for Saskatchewan, energy sovereignty and lower emissions for Canada.
“We have world-class uranium, enormous wind, solar, and energy resources and a strategic position at the heart of Western Canada; Saskatchewan should be leading Canada’s next great energy buildout.
“Yet, Scott Moe spins his wheels, and other premiers continue to put ambitious projects on the table and attract billions in partnership and serious investment.
“Saskatchewan can and should be a serious destination for nation-building investment — it’s time we had a government that fought for it. With Carla Beck and our team, that change is coming.”
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