Alberta, Canada to Host North America’s Largest Urban Solar Power Plant

Medicine Hat, Alberta –In a groundbreaking move for solar energy in North America, the City of Medicine Hat, Alberta, has finalized the acquisition of the 325-megawatt (MW) Saamis Solar Park from Irish renewable energy developer DP Energy. This ambitious project, set to transform an old industrial site in the city’s northeast, is poised to become the continent’s largest urban solar power plant, marking a significant shift for a region historically dubbed “Gas City” due to its vast fossil gas reserves.

The sale, completed on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, positions Medicine Hat—a city renowned for its abundant sunlight, boasting more sunny days than any other in Canada—as a leader in the transition to clean energy. The Saamis project, once fully developed, has the potential to generate enough electricity to power all of the city’s industrial, commercial, and residential consumers, an estimated demand met by its 325 MW capacity. The initial phase, projected to produce 75 MW at a cost of approximately $120 million, is awaiting a final decision later this year, with considerations tied to Alberta’s evolving electricity market restructure and provincial carbon legislation.

Damian Bettles, DP Energy’s North America Head of Development, emphasized the suitability of the site, a former industrial area, for such a transformative initiative. DP Energy, which has been instrumental in advancing the project to its current stage, is also exploring additional utility-scale renewable projects across Canada, though details remain undisclosed.

Dennis Tuchscherer, Medicine Hat’s director of energy marketing and business analysis, highlighted the strategic importance of the development. The city’s acquisition reflects a broader trend in Canada, where solar capacity reached nearly 6,500 MW by 2022, generating over 4,300 gigawatt-hours of electricity—enough to supply almost 500,000 homes.

The Saamis Solar Park not only promises economic benefits by harnessing low-cost solar energy but also carries symbolic weight. Situated in Alberta’s fossil fuel heartland, the project underscores a pivot toward sustainability in a province long defined by oil and gas

While the total value of the sale remains undisclosed, the project’s completion timeline and subsequent phases will depend on ongoing evaluations. For now, Medicine Hat stands at the forefront of urban renewable energy innovation, blending its sunny disposition with a vision for a greener future.

Sources

Tisheva, P. (2025, February 18). DP Energy sells 325-MW solar project to Canadian city. Renewables Now. https://renewablesnow.com/news/dp-energy-sells-325-mw-solar-project-to-canadian-city-1270997/

Snieckus, D. (2025, February 19). North America’s largest urban solar power plant takes shape – in Canada’s ‘Gas City’. Canada’s National Observer. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/02/19/news/north-america-largest-urban-solar-power-plant-medicine-hat