SaskPower is looking to help people living on northern Saskatchewan First Nations lower their power bills.
To do this the corporation is teaming up with the federal government to launch the Northern First Nations Home Retrofit Program.
Scott McGregor a media relations consultant with SaskPower explained the initiative will offer people living in homes on northern First Nations a range of options to help them use less electricity.
“These are things including upgrading insulation, insulating pipes, LED lights,” he said.
SaskPower has launched the Northern First Nations Home Retrofit Program to help curb high power bills in Northern Saskatchewan. Eligible customers in participating communities are able to receive a number of free home retrofits. Learn more at the link below.
— SaskPower (@SaskPower) December 6, 2021
The Northern First Nation Home Retrofit Program is set to run until 2024 and is getting money from the federal government’s Low Carbon Economy fund, which is covering 75 per cent of the program’s costs.
McGregor said SaskPower is ready to work with communities interested in taking part and will make sure they tailor potential solutions to the specific First Nation.
“We work directly with the community and then we can get consultants out to evaluate certain homes and their efficiencies and where we can make improvements,” he said.
With the retro fit program running until 2024 McGregor said SaskPower is optimistic a lot of communities will take up the opportunity to be part of the program.
McGregor added finding electrical efficiencies is especially important for people living in the province’s north as many have to use electricity to heat their homes due to the lack of access to natural gas.
“When you have electric heat it is more expensive than natural gas heat,” he said.
Along with helping to bring people’s power bills down, McGregor said the program is also helpful environmentally as more efficient homes will use less energy.
“This program touches on a lot of good things,” he said.