Dundonald Avenue Solar Farm

Dundonald Solar Farm Banner

The Dundonald Avenue Solar Farm is the first utility-scale solar project implemented by Saskatoon Light & Power, and the largest in Saskatoon. Upon completion, the 2.82 MW-dc solar farm is estimated to produce 3.75 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity each year, and enough to power 435 homes. The project will directly help the City of Saskatoon lower its electricity greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 19,380 tonnes of CO2 equivalent over its 30-year life. The Dundonald Avenue Solar Farm is funded in part by the Government of Canada and Province of Saskatchewan’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

The project will be developed on 14 acres of land that is located east of Dundonald Avenue and south of 11th Street West. Naturalized plantings will be incorporated throughout the site to boost biodiversity, enhance soil health and reduce erosion. The native plant species used will also be more resilient to extreme weather events and require less maintenance than traditional turf grasses. While the pollinator plants will increase the solar farm's aesthetic appeal, they will also provide cooling to the underside of the solar panels which will increase power generation efficiency during Saskatoon’s hot summer months. The naturalization of the site is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Natural Infrastructure Fund.

Solar Farm Project Timeline

Project Development

What are steps and timelines for construction of the project?

The following are the next steps for the project:

Issue a tender document for a design/build contract in Q1 2023;
Finalize site design in Q2 2023;
Commence construction in Q2/Q3 2023; and
Estimated complete construction and commission by Q1 2024.

Construction steps will be proposed by the successful proponent and will follow industry best practices to reduce costs and meet deadlines.

Will there be any impacts to the project (e.g. costs, timelines) because of the pandemic?

Impacts of the pandemic are unknown at this early stage in the project but will be considered during the procurement and construction phases planned in 2023.

How long will it take to build the solar farm?

The exact timeline depends on several factors, including availability of labour and equipment, lead time on the panels being manufactured and delivered, and finalizing the detailed design of the site. After approval of detailed design, it is expected that the solar farm array will be finished within 12‐18 months.

Project funding

The project is estimated to cost $4.25 million. It is being partially funded ($2.65 million) by the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) Fund. The remainder will be funded from internal City reserves.

Below are renderings of what the solar panels would look. It will be located between Circle Drive South and the railway tracks, south of 11th Street West.