Alberta Plans Solar Power Shift for Provincial Jails, Eyes $1 Million in Annual Savings

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma) – Alberta’s government is moving forward with a plan to power some of its correctional facilities using solar energy, aiming to cut costs and reduce reliance on traditional power sources.

According to officials, solar installations will be set up at five of the province’s 10 correctional centres, with early projections suggesting potential savings of about $1 million annually. Michael Kwas, press secretary to Infrastructure Minister Martin Long, said the installations are expected to offset nearly 80 per cent of electricity consumption at each site. He noted, however, that the final figures may shift once the projects advance to the design stage.

A government procurement document indicates that the overall budget for the initiative ranges from $10 million to $50 million, though Kwas stressed that these numbers remain preliminary. A more precise estimate will be available once detailed planning is complete.

While officials have not disclosed the exact facilities chosen, two are expected to be located in the Edmonton region and three in the Calgary area. Alberta currently operates three provincial jails near the capital region: the Edmonton Remand Centre, the Edmonton Young Offender Centre, and the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre.

Kwas said that large stretches of non-agricultural and underused land around correctional facilities make them well-suited for ground-mounted solar projects. The government views this as an opportunity to lower energy costs while contributing to a broader shift toward renewable energy use in public infrastructure.