The Lac La Ronge Indian Band is hoping to have more on-reserve power sources in the future.
Ty Roberts, Reserve Land Manager for the LLRIB, says the band is currently undertaking a needs assessment for the band’s 6 communities – to determine what power needs each community requires.
“The goal for us is to have some kind of source energy within our area, whether that be wind, solar, biomass, or something like that,” Roberts said in a conversation with MBC Radio News.
Roberts says each community will likely have different needs and he doesn’t believe an LLRIB owned power source could serve each community on the same level. He also says this is something that won’t happen overnight and is more of a ten year plan.
“There is a lot of moving parts,” he said. “We have to work with SaskPower, Prince Albert Grand Council, other groups like the First Nations Power Authority who will help us in this.”
“It is going to take some time, but that is one of our ultimate goals is to have a sustainable source of energy for our members.”
Roberts says while he can’t give an exact date for when the needs assessment will conclude, but he expects results by end of 2024. After the assessment results come in, he says the band can began exploring and planning clean energy initiatives.
Roberts presented the band’s clean energy goals at the Braiding Knowledge for Clean Energy conference in Saskatoon earlier this week.