Irish renewables company DP Energy has completed the sale of the Saamis Solar Park, the largest urban solar development in North America, to the City of Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada.
The 325MW ready-to-build project was acquired after receiving approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), which facilitated the transfer and allowed the City to finalize the acquisition.
DP Energy, based in Cork, Ireland, first secured development rights for the Saamis Solar Park site in 2017. Following the development permit obtained in 2021 and the AUC's approval in 2024, the project is now ready for construction.
Damian Bettles, DP Energy's head of development in Canada, commented, “As the largest urban solar development in North America, Saamis Solar Park is a project we are proud to have developed. With the sale to the City of Medicine Hat, it adds a dual aspect to the success story. Not only is it a productive use of a large area of contaminated land, it now also has the potential to contribute to the City's energy transition to clean, renewable power.”
The City plans to amend the project's design to allow construction in phases, with the first phase expected to add 75MW of additional capacity to its existing energy generation fleet.
Located in the northwest of Medicine Hat, the Saamis Solar Park is anticipated to generate enough electricity to power approximately 100,000 households annually and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 350,000 tonnes each year. The development, which includes over 600,000 solar panels, is also expected to create significant employment opportunities during its construction, operation, and decommissioning phases, along with numerous indirect jobs across the supply chain.
DP Energy's renewable energy portfolio in Canada includes various projects in solar, onshore wind, storage, and offshore wind sectors, including the 400MW Nova East Wind project, a joint venture with SBM Offshore, which is set to become Canada's first offshore wind project.
The completion of the Saamis Solar Park sale underscores DP Energy's commitment to supporting the energy transition in Canada and internationally.
