'I think it's what people want in the future': Mixed reaction to solar power plans

People with ties to Estevan are chiming in on the Saskatchewan government's plans to put a solar power project in the Estevan region.

Brian Fornwald echoed a similar sentiment to Estevan reeve Jason LeBlanc with concerns over farm land.

"I wouldn't mind it being in the local area, but I'm sure there's other places than good agricultural land that could be used for it," Fornwald said. "Whether you agree with it or disagree with it, I think it's what people want in the future, or a lot of people, so I think you got to do some of that."

Vijay Prabhu is moving to Estevan in the near future and he's enthusiastic about the project.

"I guess I would say yes I am in favour of it overall if we're looking in terms of transitioning and or contemplating what we have in Estevan," Prabhu said. "I think it would be a nice add on to have."

He added that he thinks it would benefit the local economy with new jobs being created.

Meanwhile, retired boilermaker Wayne Mastrachuk had a more practical, perhaps skeptical response. He said Estevan should be looking to Alberta as a model to follow.

"What I've been trying to tell these people...they should be looking at what happened in the neighbouring province of Alberta," Mastrachuk explained. "They have gone and they've taken these coal-fired burners and they've converted them over to natural gas, and it would be far cheaper," he said, referencing the coal mines in the Estevan area.

Mastrachuk does not live in Estevan, but he used to come down to Estevan to work on the power plants in the area.

"The one thing is, where are you going to put these solar panels? And from what I've been reading, the life expectancy of these solar panels is only about 25 years," Mastrachuk pointed out.

"Now, what do you do with the panels after you're finished? Where do you dispose of them? I don't think we're looking at the big picture here, we're just looking at sort of a splash in the pan."

If the project comes to fruition, it would be the largest solar power site in Saskatchewan.

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