Diamond mine builds N.W.T.'s largest off-grid solar plant
Rio Tinto says it has finished building a solar power plant at the N.W.T.'s Diavik diamond mine that will generate a quarter of its electricity during closure.
Diavik expects to end production in 2026, while closure and reclamation are set to be wrapped up by 2029.
According to a Tuesday news release, the facility's 6,620 solar panels will generate about 4,200 MWh of electricity annually, cutting Diavik's yearly diesel consumption by a million litres – equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by 2,900 tonnes.
By comparison, federal data suggests each N.W.T. resident uses an average of around seven MWh a year.
The bifacial panels – in other words, both sides of the panel can generate power – will "not only generate energy from direct sunlight, but also from the light that reflects off the snow that covers Diavik for most of the year," Rio Tinto stated.
Whitehorse-based energy company Solvest and the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation began construction in February.
The project received $3.3 million through the GNWT's Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant, another name for a fund that's financed by setting aside a share of the N.W.T. carbon tax diamond mines pay. The mines can then dip back into that fund for projects like this.
“The largest off-grid solar power plant in Canada’s North is our latest commitment to the environment we live and work in, and will improve the energy efficiency of our operations at Diavik. We are proud to lead the way for large-scale renewable energy projects in Canada’s North," stated Diavik's chief operating officer, Matthew Breen.
Since 2012, Diavik has operated a wind power plant that to date has generated more than 195,000 MWh of electricity.
Rio Tinto said it is working with communities and the territorial government to determine a plan for the solar power plant and wind turbines after closure.
Aastha Sethi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio
