Monday, January 19, 2026
Monday, January 19, 2026
The sun is shining in the direction of clean energy in Saskatchewan. Neoen, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower) following a competitive tender initiated by a joint agreement between SaskPower and the First Nations Power Authority (FNPA).
“Over the past two years, FNPA’s technical support and all-Indigenous evaluation team reviewed and screened some very compelling proposals from Saskatchewan First Nations and their IPP partners on 100 MW of Solar Generation,” said Guy Lonechild, First Nations Power Authority’s CEO and President. “We are delighted to share that our preferred proponent is Neoen. A 50-50 partnership with Cote First Nation, the Key First Nation, Kinistin Saulteaux Nation, and Zagime Anishinabek and Neoen Canada.”
The PPA covers 100 per cent of the output from the 157 MWp / 100 MWac Mino Giizis Solar Energy Facility, located in the Rural Municipality of Lajord No. 128 in south central Saskatchewan.
Developed by Neoen, the asset will be co-owned under a 50 per cent equity partnership with the Anishinabek Power Alliance (APA). APA is a partnership of four of the Treaty 4 Nations: Zagime Anishinabek Nation, Kinistin Saulteaux First Nation, Cote First Nation, and The Key First Nation with political participation from the Yorkton Tribal Council. Mino Giizis means “good sun” in Ojibwe language. Neoen will be the long-term owner and operator of the solar facility. This collaboration will deliver significant benefits to First Nations communities and the regional economy, with an estimated workforce of up to 350 construction workers anticipated during the peak construction phase.
Top row, from left to right: George Cote (Chief, Cote First Nation) – Fernie O’Soup (Acting Chief, The Key First Nation) – Felix Thomas (Chief, Kinistin Saulteaux Nation) – Isabel O’Soup (Tribal Chief, Yorkton Tribal Council). Bottom row, from left to right: Lynn Acoose (Chief, Zagime Anishinabek Nation, representing Anishinabek Power Alliance) – Emmanuel Pujol (Regional CEO of Americas, Neoen) – Rupen Pandya (CEO, SaskPower) – Guy Lonechild (First Nations Power Authority, President and CEO). Credit: Neoen.
Mino Giizis Solar Energy Facility will supply SaskPower with clean electricity for 25 years from commissioning, supporting its commitment to achieve a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions power system by 2050 or earlier. The facility will also help meet growing demand for renewable energy solutions from commercial and industrial businesses. Through collaboration with FNPA, the project will deliver robust economic and social benefits for First Nations communities. Expected to be operational in 2028, the facility will generate approximately 228,000 MWh of emissions-free electricity annually—enough to power approximately 30,000 homes.
“Mino Giizis will be one of Saskatchewan’s largest solar facilities, generating enough emissions-free electricity to power 30,000 Saskatchewan homes on average,” said Rupen Pandya, SaskPower’s President and CEO. “With 300 MW of solar power currently in development, SaskPower is continuing to take an all-of-the-above approach to ensuring reliable and affordable power for our customers.”
This announcement underscores Neoen’s ambition to become a leading player in Canada and to make a significant contribution to the country’s energy transition. Neoen’s Canadian portfolio includes the 93 MWp Fox Coulée solar farm in Starland County, Alberta, which began commercial operations in June 2024. Since establishing its Canadian office in Calgary in 2022, Neoen has expanded to Toronto and is actively developing a diverse portfolio of solar, storage, and wind projects across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
“This is Neoen’s first equity partnership with an Indigenous community and reflects the increasing leadership and participation of Indigenous communities in Canada’s clean energy sector,” said Emmanuel Pujol, Neon Americas’ Regional CEO. “This power purchase agreement for Mino Giizis marks an important step for Neoen in Saskatchewan and Canada. We are proud to be developing this project alongside our four First Nation partners and to work with SaskPower to deliver renewable electricity that supports the province’s long-term electricity needs.”
The collaboration is expected to deliver economic and social benefits for First Nations communities, including roughly 350 jobs during the peak construction phase.
“Saskatchewan is showing what can be achieved when utilities and Indigenous leadership work together to build our renewable energy future. This solar procurement partnership between SaskPower and First Nations Power Authority demonstrates economic reconciliation in action, to deliver long-term benefits for communities, ratepayers and the electricity system,” said Vittoria Bellissimo, CanREA’s President and CEO.
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