Opened: 2025
Where: Descharme Lake, SK
Fuel source: Solar/Battery/Diesel
Power Capacity: 228 kilowatts (kW) Solar/180 kW Battery/60 kW x 2 (Diesel)
Facts about the Descharme Lake Microgrid
This is the first independent community power system of its kind in Saskatchewan, and the first to be built by SaskPower.
- It’s an innovative, custom-built system that combines solar power, battery storage, and back-up diesel generation to power the northern community of Descharme Lake all year-round and in all weather conditions.
- The system:
- replaces the aging 96-kilometre power line that previously provided power to around 20 properties in Descharme Lake.
- will be less costly to maintain and will result in less impact to the area’s forest vegetation.
- consists of 474 solar panels, 96 lithium phosphate batteries, and 2 back-up diesel generators.
- will be monitored remotely 24 hours a day. The control panel will transmit signals to let us know how the equipment is running.
- Over 80% of power generated by the microgrid each day will be from the sun. Excess energy will be stored within the batteries, which can provide about 24 hours of power to the community on one charge.
- Back-up diesel generators will kick in only when battery energy is low in the winter; about 8-12 hours every other day.
