In recent years, coal-fired electricity generation has significantly decreased nationwide, yet one company remains optimistic about constructing a large coal plant northwest of Whitehorse. Strategic Metals, a Vancouver-based company, is planning to develop the Division Mountain deposit situated southwest of Braeburn, Yukon. The company has officially submitted a proposal to conduct drilling activities at the site, following in the footsteps of previous companies with similar aspirations that never came to fruition.
Douglas Eaton, the president of Strategic Metals, is capitalizing on the region’s energy shortage caused by a growing population straining the primarily hydropower-fed grid. Last winter, the territory’s grid faced severe strain due to prolonged cold spells, pushing it to its limits. Meanwhile, a large-scale battery project in Whitehorse has faced delays.
Strategic Metals is confident in the abundance of coal seams to meet the proposed 100-megawatt plant’s needs for over a century, intending to burn 500,000 tonnes of coal annually. The company’s plans include developing an open-pit coal mine connected to the project, with one or two plants operating for 30 years. Byproducts like fly ash would be repurposed as a cement additive, and hot water would be utilized to warm barns and greenhouses, according to Eaton.
Despite coal’s tarnished reputation, the federal government has committed to phasing out unabated coal plants by 2030. Coal-fired electricity generation in Canada has decreased by approximately 66 percent between 2005 and 2021. While provinces like Ontario have banned coal-fired electricity generation, it remains prominent in regions like Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.
Burning coal for electricity has been identified as the largest contributor to global temperature rises by the International Energy Agency. Eyab Al-Aini, a senior researcher at the Canadian Climate Institute, highlights the lack of crucial details in Strategic Metals’ proposal, particularly concerning carbon capture and storage. Al-Aini expresses concerns about the feasibility and effectiveness of such systems, emphasizing the significant greenhouse gas emissions associated with burning coal compared to natural gas, especially in Northern regions.
Sebastian Jones from the Yukon Conservation Society criticizes the coal plant proposal, labeling it as “bonkers” and environmentally detrimental, expressing skepticism about its feasibility and approval prospects.