August 18, 2025
RED FM News Desk
The Alberta government is planning to install solar energy systems at five of its 10 provincial correctional facilities, aiming to reduce environmental impact and cut energy costs.
According to Michael Kwas, press secretary for Infrastructure Minister Martin Long, the solar arrays are expected to offset around 80% of each facility’s energy use, potentially saving the province approximately $1 million annually.
However, both the savings and the total project cost—estimated between $10 million and $50 million—are preliminary and will be refined during the planning phase.
While specific facilities haven’t been confirmed, two sites are located in the Edmonton region and three near Calgary. Edmonton houses three provincial correctional facilities: the Edmonton Remand Centre, the Edmonton Young Offender Centre, and the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre.
Calgary also has three adjacent facilities: a remand centre, young offender centre, and correctional centre. These sites feature ample underutilized land suitable for ground-mounted solar arrays.
Currently, some government-owned buildings in Alberta use alternative energy, but none on the scale being considered for the correctional centres. Edmonton facilities consume roughly 11,500 megawatt hours annually, while Calgary’s use is about 6,300 MWh—equivalent to the energy used by over 2,500 average Alberta homes.
The province intends to begin accepting construction bids in late 2025 or early 2026. Stephen Legault of Environmental Defence applauded the initiative, noting it could position Alberta as a leader in correctional facility sustainability, as no prisons in Canada currently operate on solar power.
U.S. states like Connecticut and California already use solar in jails, achieving significant cost savings.
Legault expressed hope the initiative would inspire broader renewable adoption across Alberta’s public infrastructure, emphasizing that creativity and investment—not technology—are the main barriers.
Loading ...
