The Weekly Bean - September 20, 2023 by yourwestcentral

Four days of fun at Goose Festival

BY JOAN JANZEN

Goose Festival ‘51 is coming to Kindersley this week from Thursday to Sunday, September 21st to 24th. Kevin Martin, Executive Director for the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, has been busy keeping up-to-date on the events scheduled throughout the weekend.

Many popular activities will return to Goose Festival, some of which have become long-standing traditions. The parade is always the highlight of the weekend. “It’s looking good; so far, we have 44 ﬂoats lined up,” Kevin said. “The Rotary Club is helping out with security.”

Motorbike and car enthusiasts will be pleased to see both the Motorcycle Show & Shine and Saskatchewan Roadmen Car Club Show & Shine are scheduled for Saturday afternoon after the parade.

Other events have been running during the Goose Festival for the past year or two. Get Jacqued Fitness will be holding its third annual “Under the Lights” outdoor class at Berard Field on Friday evening and will be accepting donations to the Food Bank.

The Goose Festival Market was held last year, and this year, it will be held at a new location. The market will be at the Kindersley Seniors Centre, 115 - 3rd Ave. East on Friday afternoon until 7 p.m. The senior centre will be ﬁlled with vendors selling their wares.

Once again, InterPipeline will have a climbing wall set up beside Synergy Credit Union on Saturday for all the energetic children. And the Better Together barrel train is returning, as well as having a sandbox (ﬁlled with lentils or chickpeas) for the kids to enjoy.

For the adults, there will be bands entertaining on the stage next to Scotia Bank, as well as a jam session at Garden Gallery at 417 Main Street on Saturday evening.

There are a number of new activities on the Goose Festival roster this year. “The ﬁre department has an open house Thursday evening with live music, hall tours, ﬁre simulation demonstration and barbecue.

“This is a time they can show oﬀ their new facility for anybody who didn’t make it to the grand opening,” Kevin

said.

“Dakota Buttar will be doing a fan meet and greet Saturday afternoon in front of Synergy Credit Union,” Kevin added.

Caleb Village will also be inviting visitors to tour their facility Friday afternoon and listen to music by Can Am Country from Saskatoon. Also, on Saturday afternoon, anyone who is interested in pickleball can watch a pickleball demonstration at the outdoor rink at the WCEC.

There can never be too many activities for the kids, so the t-shirt drawing contest hosted by Prairie Cresting on Saturday afternoon at 511 Main Street is a welcome addition. This year, West Central Play-Mobile will be handing out Scarecrow Early Learning Bags in the Co-op Parking Lot.

Check out the poster to see the complete line-up of food, fun and entertainment provided from Thursday to Sunday. “The mini donut truck will be setting up early Thursday to kick oﬀ the weekend,” Kevin said. “And the weather forecast is looking good.”

KINDERSLEY GOOSE FESTIVAL ‘51

September 21-24, 2023

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Big O’s Food Truck

• (under the digital sign beside the Post Ofﬁce

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 con’t

Saskatchewan

Beavertails Food Truck

• (beside tent on Co-op Parking Lot)

• – 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street immediately after the parade. Sponsored by:

and

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - TD Bank

Plinko Board and Prizes –

FIRE DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE –

• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Live music, hall tours, ﬁre simulation trailer demonstration and BBQ. Silver collection.

•

Kelly Insurance Brokers 60 Year Celebrations

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Climbing Wall

• by Interpipeline on 3rd Avenue beside Synergy Credit Union

• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. St.

BBQ Burgers and Homemade Pies –

Paul’s United Church (indoor seating available)

Kindersley Screen Arts presents “The Miracle Club” –

• 4 p.m. Sunset Theatre. Tickets: $10.00. Sponsored by Speedy Glass

• (Co-op Parking Lot)

Big O’s Food Truck

• (Co-op Parking Lot)

Beavertails Food Truck

• Kindersley Centre Mall

Late Night Shopping –

Music Trivia Night –

• Norman Ritchie Centre. Starts at 7:30 p.m. $10 at the door. Come and test your music memory!

Tours of Caleb Village –

• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy music by Can Am Country from Saskatoon.

Get Jacqued Fitness

• is holding their 3rd Annual “Under the Lights” outdoor class at Berard Field starting at 7:30 p.m. A donation to the Food Bank is appreciated.

Plinko Board and Prizes –

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - TD Bank

• Goose Festival Market –

Kelly Insurance Brokers 60 Year Celebrations

• 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Kindersley Seniors Centre - 115 3rd Ave. East

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Pancake Breakfast

• – Kindersley Legion Hall from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Presented by Redemption Baptist Church.

Parade on Main Street –

• Starts promptly at 11 a.m.

• (Co-op Parking Lot)

Big O’s Food Truck

Beavertails Food Truck

• (Co-op Parking Lot)

Duck Derby

• (Kin Club) on 2nd Avenue between Pharmacy and tent.

• (Praire Rose)

Philippine Food Truck

Mater Tasty Food Truck

• (on 3rd Avenue between Post Ofﬁce and Prairie Rose)

Prairie Shack Food Truck

• (across from Main Stage on Main Street)

Better Together

• (on United Church Parking Lot) – Barrel train rides on Main Street after the parade. Bicycle obstacle course.

WASHROOMS –

• Beside Dr. Lonnie Brooks ofﬁce (210 Main Street)

Motorcycle Show & Shine

–

• 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Red Lion Parking Lot. Also burgers and beans.

• Starting at 3 p.m.

Music on the Main Stage – • Empty lot next to Scotia Bank Racing at Flatlanders Speedway –

Sidewalk Sale at East Crossing

• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (on Main Street)

• Swirl Café Food Pop –

Open Stage Jam Session –

• 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. hosted by the Garden Gallery - 417 Main Street. Text 306-460-5665 to be added to the line-up.

Plinko Board and Prizes –

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. TD Bank

Toonie Swim –

• 1 p.m. to 6p.m. Kindersley Aquatic Centre

Kindersley Pickleball Demonstration –

• 2 p.m. Outdoor rink at the WCEC.

Kindersley New Life Church Youth Group

• are hosting a Perogies and Sausage Fundraiser on the Co-op Parking Lot West Central Play-Mobile

• is handing out Scarecrow Early Learning Grab Bags on the Co-op Parking Lot

• 11 a.m. to 3p.m. Co-op Parking Lot

KAWS Popcorn Sale –

Prairie Cresting

• will be hosting a T-Shirt Drawing Contest from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at their location at 511 Main Street

Goose Festival Market

• at the Kindersley Seniors Centre - 115 3rd Ave. East from after the parade to 6 p.m. Selena Edmunds at 306-463-2282.

Kindersley Klippers vs. Battleford North Stars –

• 7:30 p.m. puck drop at the West Central Events Centre

Goose Festival Dance –

• 9 p.m. featuring Longshot in the Curling Rink. $25.00 or $30.00 for both dance and hockey game. Hosted by the Iron Horse Kindersley Klippers.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

Fly-in Pancake Breakfast –

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hosted by the Kindersley Air Cadets at the Kindersley Airport (weather permitting)

Threshing Wind-Up

• – 11a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Kindersley & District Plains Museum

• Starting at 1 p.m.

Racing at Flatlanders Speedway –

Roadmen Car Club Show & Shine

By Dana Jackson

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Photo Caption: Alba Baptista in “Warrior

Celebrity Extra

Q:I just saw that “Captain America” star Chris Evans got married. Is his wife an actress? The last serious relationship I remember him having was with Jenny Slate. I was hoping that would work out. (I loved her in “Parks and Recreation.”) — K.K.

A:The last of the Hollywood Chrises has joined the other two (Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt) in wedded bliss by marrying his girlfriend, Alba Baptista, of almost two years during a ceremony in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Baptista is a Portuguese actress whose most recent English-language films are the charming film “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” and the Netflix action series “Warrior Nun.”

As for Evans and Jenny Slate, their relationship has been over since early 2018. They first started dating in 2016 after filming the movie “Gifted.” He raved about her in interviews, saying “Sometimes you just meet the same animal, and that’s just [what it’s like] with Jenny.”

Nun”

West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre

Slate, who has been married before, found love again with writer and art curator Ben Shattuck. The couple wed last year and also have a little girl named Ida. While Evans and Slate made a cute couple, it appears they ultimately found happiness with others the way it was meant to be.

Q:A two-episode premiere of the new “Fraiser” will debut on Paramount+ on Oct. 12 with weekly episodes to follow. It’s reported that the same episodes will also air on CBS on Oct. 17 as a special event, but viewers will have to subscribe to Paramount+ to watch the rest of the season.

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When is the “Frasier” reboot debuting? Also, I’ve heard conflicting information about where it will air. Will it be on Peacock or Paramount? — E.J.

A:Kelsey Grammer returns to television as his iconic character Frasier Crane this fall on Paramount+. We first met the hilariously uptight psychiatrist on “Cheers.” He was then given his own equally successful spin-off in the former show of “Frasier,” a sitcom that won 37 Primetime Emmy Awards and continues to run in syndication and streaming to this day. Now Frasier returns to his roots in Boston for a new sitcom filmed before a live studio audience. Alas, the late John Mahoney is gone as Frasier’s cranky father, Martin, and David Hyde Pierce is reportedly not returning as Frasier’s brother, Niles.

What was the name of the funny show Ted Knight did where he had two beautiful daughters? There was also a hilarious guy who lived in the home, too, or at least nearby. — L.D.

A:You’re thinking of “Too Close for Comfort,” which starred Knight as a cartoonist who worked out of his home in San Francisco. Nancy Dussault played his wife, and Lydia Cornell and Deborah Van Valkenburgh played his two grown daughters who rented the apartment below. Jim J. Bullock was a hoot as Monroe.

The show changed its name and concept to “The Ted Knight Show” during its final season. Sadly, the sitcom ended in 1987 after Knight lost his battle with cancer at the age of 62.

OUTREACH

Alba Baptista in “Warrior

Courtesy of Netflix

* On Oct. 2, 1614, Louis XIII of France was declared an adult. His mother, Marie de’ Medici, continued to act as his Regent, however, as she had begun upon the assassination of his father, King Henry IV of France, in 1610, until Louis turned 16.

* On Oct. 3, 1967, singer/musician/activist Woody Guthrie, lauded by Bob Dylan as “the true voice of the American spirit,” died from complications of Huntington’s disease at age 55. His music focused primarily on American socialism and anti-fascism, inﬂuencing numerous other artists ranging from Johnny Cash to Jerry Garcia.

* On Oct. 4, 2006, the widows of two war veterans brought a lawsuit against the United States government for the right to include Wiccan religious symbols on

graves in military cemeteries. While the religion is recognized by the military, its followers were not permitted to display a Wiccan pentacle on such markers until the following year.

* On Oct. 5, 1999, torrential rains caused ﬂooding and mudslides that completely buried 80 homes in the small Mexican city of Teziutlan. Authorities estimated the village received nearly half the amount of its annual rainfall in just three days.

* On Oct. 6, 1945, tavern owner William Sianis bought a seat for himself and his pet goat, Murphy, for Game 4 of the World Series, featuring the Chicago Cubs vs. the Detroit Tigers. Chagrined that Murphy was denied admission, legend holds that Sianis declared the Cubs

Goose Festival

would never win a game again until the animal was allowed on Wrigley Field. Though he “lifted” the curse in 1969, the Cubs didn’t see another victory until 1984.

* On Oct. 7, 1979, President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter welcomed Pope John Paul II as the ﬁrst pontiﬀ to visit the White House. Carter greeted the Polish-born pope in his native tongue with “Niech bedzie bog Pochwalony” (“May God be praised”).

* On Oct. 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire broke out in the barn of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary and lasted for two days. By the time it ended, 300 people had died and a large swath of the city had been devastated. The exact cause of the blaze was never determined.

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In an era of rising prices, exploring versatile, budget-friendly ingredients is crucial. Textured vegetable protein (TVP) is a versatile and cost-effective meat substitute made from dehydrated soy flour or soy protein concentrate. It’s used as a meat extender or substitute, making it a popular choice for frugal people looking to stretch their meat budget or those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. TVP is known for its high protein content and ability to absorb flavors, making it a suitable extender or replacement for ground meat in many recipes.

6 medium potatoes, about 2 lbs. or equivalent leftover or instant mashed potatoes

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Filling:

1 cup Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

1 (14.5 ounce) can (1 1/2 cups) beef broth, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots

1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

(or on the stovetop) until simmering. Add the TVP to rehydrate for 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, sauteing until tender and slightly caramelized. Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking and stirring for 3 minutes, allowing it to meld with the caramelized onions and develop a deeper flavor.

Add the minced garlic and ground beef, and rehydrated TVP. Cook until the meat is browned and the TVP has absorbed the delicious flavors, about 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, peas and carrots, creamed corn and the remaining 1/2 cup broth, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer filling to the baking dish and spread it evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling, creating an even layer. Top with cheese. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

While savoring this scrumptious Cottage Pie, remember that TVP offers benefits beyond versatility and low-cost. TVP is environmentally friendly with a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional meat production. Moreover, its high protein and fiber content make it a nutritious addition to your diet.

To rehydrate TVP, use a 1:1 ratio of TVP to liquid (by volume). This means for every 1 cup of dry TVP add 1 cup of liquid. The dry TVP expands into 2 cups of meat substitute and can be stored in the fridge for three to five days.

When using TVP, season it generously with flavorful liquids, herbs, spices and sauces along with ingredients like onions, garlic and vegetables to enhance its neutral flavor.

Today, let’s explore TVP with a classic favorite: Cottage Pie. This offers significant savings without skimping on the pleasures of a hearty meal.

Savory Half-and-Half Cottage Pie

Yield: 6 generous servings

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

For the mashed potatoes:

Prepare a 9-by-13 baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While it’s heating, peel and chop your potatoes. Place your potatoes in cool, salted water, then bring them to a boil for 10 minutes. This gradual heating ensures even cooking, preventing the outer layers from overcooking before the insides are tender. Once they’re cooked and drained, mash with the milk and butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, rehydrate the TVP. Heat 1 cup of beef broth in the microwave

So, next time you’re planning meals, remember TVP and turn an ordinary meal into a costconscious masterpiece.

***

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime — Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

www.JasonCoblentz.com

Comfort on a budget — Cottage Pie.

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CHARITABLE DONATION RECEIPTS

Old charitable donation receipts that you forgot to claim in previous years should not be thrown away. Charitable donation receipts are good for ﬁve years after the year in which the donation was made.

BLOCK

CENTRE

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) After much traveling this year, you’re due for some settled time with family and friends. Use this period to check out situations that will soon require a lot of serious decision-making.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Keep that keen Bovine mind focused on your financial situation as it begins to undergo some changes. Consider your money moves carefully. Avoid impulsive investments.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You’ll need to adjust some of your financial plans now that things are changing more quickly than you expected. All the facts you need haven’t yet emerged, so move cautiously.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Personal and professional relationships dominate this period. Try to keep things uncomplicated to avoid misunderstandings that can cause problems down the line.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) That elusive goal you’d been hoping to claim is still out of reach. But something else has come along that could prove to be just as desirable, if only you would take the time to check it out.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) This is a good time to get away for some much needed rest and relaxation. You’ll return refreshed and ready to take on the workplace challenge that awaits you.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Confidence grows as you work your way through some knotty situations. Watch out for distractions from well-meaning supporters who could slow things down.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Consider spending more time contemplating the possibilities of an offer before opting to accept or reject it. But once you make a decision, act on it.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You’re in a very strong position this week to tie up loose ends in as many areas as possible. Someone close to you has advice you might want to heed.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Congratulations! This is the week you’ve been waiting for. After a period of sudden stops and fitful starts, your plans can now move ahead with no significant disruptions.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You’re in an exceptionally strong position this week to make decisions on many unresolved matters, especially those involving close personal relationships.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) This week starts off with some positive movement in several areas. A special person becomes a partner in at least one of the major plans you’ll be working on.

BORN THIS WEEK: You work hard and get things done. You also inspire others to do their best. You would do well heading up a major corporation.

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Remember when the ‘goose’ was part of Kindersley’s festival?

BY JOAN JANZEN

Once again, it’s time for Kindersley’s annual Goose Festival, but so far, we haven’t seen any geese flying in their v-formation. This region is usually a popular flyway, so we’re accustomed to seeing hundreds of geese flying overhead at any given time and hearing their chorus of honking along the way.

To date, we’ve only spotted the occasional small v-shaped formation, and there haven’t been any honking sounds heard, which is how geese communicate. According to gogeesego.com, honking helps them take off in unison, navigate, stay together while flying, and conserve energy while in the air. While flying, each bird uses distinct honking patterns to coordinate their movements. The lead goose sets the pace with a series of honks, signalling to the others when to change direction or adjust their speed. They also honk to coordinate shifts in position in the formation, helping to make it more aerodynamic. Honking helps the birds encourage one another to stay in position and maintain a streamlined formation.

They all honk in unison as a means of communication when preparing to land.

Goose hunting was very popular ﬁfty years ago, so Kindersley dubbed their annual event a “Goose Festival.” However, spotting a snow goose before the 1970s was a rarity. Kindersley resident Cliﬀ Neufeld remembers being told that if you saw a white goose, you were not to shoot it.

In the 1970’s era, Kindersley’s Goose Festival hosted a variety of goose hunting-related activities. There were contests for the best-camouﬂaged pit, bird and animal calling contests, and prizes awarded for the largest goose, white goose and duck shot. The largest birds were mounted free of charge by a local taxidermist. There was also a gun display throughout the weekend.

An annual favourite activity was the duck plucking contest Friday morning, when a number of mayors and reeves would show oﬀ their feather plucking skills.

Breakfast was served in the Lions Hall early on Saturday morning when hungry diners feasted upon free goose

cakes and sausage. After breakfast, Kindersley’s famous goose proudly rested on a ﬂoat in the Goose Festival parade.

An open trap shoot took place Sunday morning, 19 miles west on Highway No. 7 and seven miles north on Dewar Lake Road. Trophies were awarded to the winners.

Geese also attracted American hunters to Kindersley and area. Kindersley resident Glen Sitter recalled Dan Blocker (from the old television show Bonanza) coming to Kindersley on numerous hunting expeditions. His fellow actors, Lorne Green and Pernell Roberts, were also goose hunting in the Kindersley area.

Cliﬀ Neufeld remembers American hunters who were willing to pay someone to dig big pits. Those hunters often came equipped with hundreds of decoys. When the hunting was done, ladies in the community were hired to clean the geese and use the feathers to make pillows and comforters. “It was a tough job,” he said.

Brian Zinchuk: How Saskatchewan goes big into nuclear

Twice last week, SaskEnergy set new daily natural gas usage records, and we can thank Alberta for most of our supply

As the premier, minister and SaskPower ofﬁcials have clearly indicated, if the federal Clean Electricity Regulations come to pass, this province has essentially no choice but to go big into nuclear. This is how I think we’re going to do it.

BY BRIAN ZINCHUK brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca

Not only was Saskatchewan setting electrical consumption records during the cold snap of last week of December, we also set two consecutive natural gas consumption records, too.

In late August, the Saskatchewan government started serious dropping hints that this province is going to be going into nuclear power generation in a big way, a lot bigger than when it was ﬁrst proposed early in 2022.

The initial announcement was for up to four reactors of the General Electric-Hitachi BWRX-300 (300 megawatt) model. That would be enough to almost replace our existing coal fleet, but wouldn’t be nearly enough to also replace our natural gas-fired power generation fleet, nor allow for any dramatic expansion in demand growth expected in the next few decades.

According to SaskEnergy in a Dec. 31 release, “Extreme cold weather across Saskatchewan this week resulted in record-breaking natural gas demand in the province. On December 28 and 29, natural gas consumption surpassed the previous daily record of 1.57 petajoules (PJ) which was set in February 2021.

“A new daily record of 1.62 PJ was set on December 28 and broken again on December 29 with total system delivery of 1.64 PJ. Delivery numbers for December 30 and 31 are not yet finalized, but are also expected to exceed 1.6 PJ.”

The natural gas records coincided with record power consumption. On Dec. 29, SaskPower set another record in power consumption for Saskatchewan. At 5:27 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2021, Saskatchewan homes and businesses reached 3,868 megawatts (MW) in power use, according to the Crown corporation. The previous record of 3,792 MW was reached four years ago to the day, on Dec. 29, 2017.

First off, Don Morgan, who was Crown Investment Corporation and SaskPower Minister until a cabinet shufﬂe a week or so later, said this on John Gormley Live on Aug. 22:

“Depending on availability of money, we should be looking probably at four or six,” he said, regarding building General Electric-Hitachi 300 megawatt small modular reactors (SMRs). But in the same interview, he added, “We should be probably planning for seven, eight or nine.”

Saskatchewan’s power production has increasingly shifted from coal to natural gas as a fuel source. In December, Boundary Dam Unit 4, a coal-fired generating unit, was retired, reducing the Boundary Dam Power Station to 672 megawatts capacity. On the natural gas side, Saskatchewan has seen the construction of several new natural gas-fired power plants. They include the baseload North Battleford Power Station (289 megawatts), Yellowhead Power Station peaking plant (also at North Battleford, 135 megawatts), the baseload Chinook Power Station at Swift Current (353 megawatts) and peaking plant Spy Hill Power Station (89 megawatts). Another 353 megawatt baseload

Two days later, Premier Scott Moe was in Estevan. There, I asked him about Morgan’s comments, and what the actual number of reactors was being planned. Moe responded, “I don’t think that that number certainly has been decided on, as of yet. But as we look ahead, through the decades, and not the next number of years, but through the decades, you know, we’re embarking down that path with going through the regulatory process on where you may locate and a small modular reactor, and how many you can ultimately locate at that.

“So I won’t surmise as to what the end number would be of small modular reactors, because other are other options, and larger 1,000 megawatt reactors and such. There’s oth-

er, options that we have that can play into this as well, with some of the other generation infrastructure that we have. However, I did note one comment that that SaskPower had made, is that when you’re looking at the economies of scale, it might be more affordable and cheaper if you were to build two at a time, and I did take note of that,” Moe said.

plant, very similar to Chinook, is under construction at Moose Jaw.

All of this added natural gas-fired power generation has, in turn, driven higher usage of natural gas during times of high electrical consumption.

The Crown noted that increased demand from SaskEnergy’s industrial customers, including natural gas use for power production, was the main driver of this week’s record-setting consumption.

He added, “And so, many decisions to be made with respect to small modular reactors, how many, but I think we’re getting a fairly narrowed in on where the location is. It’s down to Estevan and Elbow. And most of the discussions that I’ve heard is about utilizing the transmission capacity, long term, that we have here in Estevan.”

SaskEnergy said it measures daily natural gas consumption for the 24-hour period from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. A PJ is a unit of measurement equivalent to one million gigajoules (GJ) of natural gas. An average Saskatchewan home consumes about 100 GJ of natural gas each year.

His comments about 1,000 megawatt reactors made my mind go “Ding! Ding! Ding!” This was the ﬁrst reference I’ve heard anywhere about such larger reactors in Saskatchewan in recent years. And I know why he’s now talking about that. You see, there was a major development in the nuclear space between the time Morgan made the initial announcement in the spring of 2022, and today.

“SaskEnergy’s natural gas system design can accommodate additional capacity to manage increased consumption even on peak days,” SaskEnergy president and CEO Ken From said in a release. “Throughout the year, SaskEnergy employees inspect, maintain and enhance the system to support safe and reliable natural gas delivery in all weather conditions. In addition, employees monitor the system 24 hours a day to ensure sufficient system capacity to meet customer demand across the province.”

This province is now largely dependent on neighbouring Alberta to fulfill roughly two-thirds of our natural gas needs.

That was Saskatchewan’s corporate darling, Cameco, buying 49 per cent of nuclear reactor builder Westinghouse, on Oct. 11. It went for a song, with Cameco’s portion coming in at $2.2 billion. Chump change, these days.

When natural gas prices took a tumble roughly 14 years ago, Saskatchewan’s domestic gas production fell off a cliff. Targeted gas drilling went essentially extinct, with next to no gas-specific wells being drilled in this province for most of the past decade. Our domestic gas production is now largely based on associated gas production that comes with oil production. As a result, Saskatchewan went from being a net gas exporter for the period of 1988 to 2009 to a net importer that year.

Even though no Westinghouse reactor has been designed or built in this province, Cameco’s new ownership of half the company effectively means buying Westinghouse means buying local for Saskatchewan.

Westinghouse got itself into ﬁnancial difﬁculty and bankruptcy building two 1,000 megawatt reactors in Georgia, Vogtle 3 and 4. (They’re actually 1,117 megawatts electric, but referred to as 1,000-megawatt class) They took 17 years to build, in large part due to every form of opposition being thrown at them. They had some issues in building them, but they appear to have sorted that out now, and those two units went online in late spring, 2023. It’s known as the Westinghouse AP1000.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

Four Westinghouse AP1000 units are also four being built in China and are in consideration for Poland (3 units) and Turkey (2 units). Ukraine is also looking at them, down the road, once peace allows it.

Westinghouse is now offering its own small modular reactor to compete with the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300. It’s known as the AP300. I think SaskPower is too far down the road with GE-Hitachi and Ontario Power Generation to switch now, but if Westinghouse can come in considerably cheaper than GE-Hitachi, all bets are off.

Here’s what I think is most likely to happen: Estevan will see the construction of the GE-Hitachi SMRs. They will be built roughly 10-20 kilometres northwest of Estevan, on the north side of Rafferty Reservoir. This puts them within easy reach of primary highway and mainline rail. The main grid transmission lines running from Estevan to Regina go right through this area. And Estevan has the industrial and population base to build and operate these facilities.

I think that we’ll see not two, but four, maybe even six, of the 300 megawatt units built at Estevan. And we won’t see any of them built at Elbow, on Lake Diefenbaker.

That’s because SaskPower’s going to get its feet wet with the small stuff at Estevan, developing its nuclear capabilities, before it goes big at Elbow.

Lake Diefenbaker, with its huge water volumes, is really the only place in southern Saskatchewan one could consider putting a major nuclear reactor facility on other than perhaps Last Mountain Lake. But more importantly, it’s central to almost every major power load in the province. If you go on Google Earth, as I have, you’ll ﬁnd that within 170 kilometres, or less, you have Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Belle Plaine, and almost every major potash mine except for Esterhazy and Rocanville. That includes the upcoming BHP Jansen mine,

with its expected 200 megawatt load. And it includes the Regina steel mill. Putting these reactors at Elbow minimizes both transmission like construction and line loss due to electrical resistance.

I expect SaskPower will build two to three AP1000 units at Elbow, once they’ve got the ﬁrst 300 megawatt units going at Estevan.

The argument against large reactor has always been that SaskPower’s grid is only producing around 3,000 megawatts on a typical day, meaning if one reactor went down for maintenance or otherwise, you lost a third of the grid. But in reality, our grid is called upon to produce up to 3,910 megawatts at times (Dec. 30, 2021). And the federal government, through its Clean Electricity Regulations, is now saying they expect electrical demand to grown 2.5x by 2050. That’s in 26 years, four months and 21 days from the announcement of the regulations.

So you take 3,910 megawatts x 2.5 and you get 9,775. All of a sudden, 1,000 megawatt-class reactors aren’t that large of a fraction now, are they? And you’ve got to build a LOT of SMRs to get to that 9,775 megawatts, since you can’t depend on a wind turbine any further than you can throw it.

(And if you do go that far into nuclear, is there really any point in building all this unreliable wind and solar?)

There’s one more thing – Westinghouse also offers a micro reactor, known and the eVinci. These ﬁve megawatt reactors are meant for industrial applications, like mines. I’ll bet dollars to donuts that the ﬁrst eVinci reactors will be implemented at Cameco’s own mines in northern Saskatchewan, putting their money where their mouth is, so to speak. It’ll provide Westinghouse with its own showcase for these seacan-sized reactors. And then SaskPower will look at deploying them in northern communities.

Farm Real Estate Specialist

Should I Sell My Farm?

Kindersley & District CO-OP

Kid’s Korner

KID’S CLUB BIRTHDAYS FOR SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2023

Chase Guidinger

Kayla Kleinsasser

Ryan Kleinsasser

Michael Laclare

Jack Loken

Harper Nagel

Kelly Phinney

Lucas Quinney

Lily Thompson

Tom Bowen

Hudson Weese

Susana Wolf

Erica Wrage

Posting Date September 18, 2023

1. Who wrote and released “I Can See Clearly Now”?

Doug Steele

2. What was Billy Paul’s only No. 1 single?

3. What are the names of the Bee Gees brothers? Which one was never part of the musical group?

Saskatchewan Party MLA for Cypress Hills

mla@gmail.com

4. Who released “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me”?

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea, To the open arms of the sea, yeah, Lonely rivers sigh wait for me, wait for me.”

Answers

1. Johnny Nash, in 1972. The reggae sounds are likely due to Nash having worked with reggae master Bob Marley.

2. “Me and Mrs. Jones,” in 1972. Legend says that when Paul served in the Army, he was stationed with Elvis Presley. He tried to get Presley to join a music group he was forming, and Presley turned him down, preferring to be a chauffeur.

3. The brothers were Barry, Robin, Maurice and Andy. Baby Andy was born after the group was already active.

4. Culture Club, in 1982.

Doug Steele, MLA

Cypress Hills - Grasslands Constituency Box 238, 4671 Price Avenue, Gull Lake Toll Free: 844-672-1755 / steelemla@sasktel.net

5. “Unchained Melody,” by The Righteous Brothers, in 1965. It was released as the B-side to “Hung On You” but DJs preferred to play “Unchained Melody.”

1. GEOGRAPHY: Which European city has almost 2,500 bridges?

• More people from nudist colonies play volleyball than any other sport.

2. MOVIES: How many infinity stones exist in “Avengers: End Game”?

3. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many digits do pandas have on each hand?

4. AD SLOGANS: Which car manufacturer used the ad slogan, “Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride”?

5. LITERATURE: What is Hogwarts’ motto in the “Harry Potter” book series?

6. TELEVISION: Which show spawned the spinoff TV comedy “Laverne & Shirley”?

7. SCIENCE: How long is an eon?

8. MUSIC: What is the name of the band that John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney were in before The Beatles formed?

9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What does the Apgar score measure?

10. U.S. STATES: Which state has an active volcano named Mount St. Helens?

Answers

1. Hamburg, Germany.

2. Six.

3. Six — five fingers and an opposable pseudo thumb.

4. Nissan.

5. “Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.”

6. “Happy Days.”

7. 1 billion years.

8. The Quarrymen.

9. The health of newborns.

10. Washington.

• New York’s Girl Scout Troop 6000, whose entire membership is homeless or living in shelters, has sold more than $1.6 million worth of Girl Scout cookies since 2017, earning not just national recognition, but money to benefit about 2,500 women and girls in more than 20 shelters throughout the greater New York area.

• Competitive trash collecting is a sport in Japan.

• Just in time for global warming, scientists have developed a paint that reflects the sun’s rays, potentially reducing the need for air conditioning by up to 40%.

• The oldest known photograph, taken by French photographer Nicephore Niepce in 1826, took eight hours to expose.

• In 5th-century Greece, handshakes were done to make sure that the other person wasn’t carrying a hidden weapon. The hand clasp proved that your hand was empty, and shaking it was meant to “shake out” any weapons hiding in the sleeve.

• Farm-raised salmon are fed carotenoids to give their flesh its trademark pink color.

• If a woodpecker goes too long without food, it will pin down other birds and peck at their heads until it can eat their brains.

• Holy flipping flapjacks! In 2012, Brad Jolly of Australia set the Guinness World Record for the most tosses of a pancake, with an astonishing 140 flips a minute.

By Lucie Winborne

Refresh your fall wardrobe

Adding a few new pieces to your wardrobe is one of life’s little pleasures. This fall, treat yourself to a look that reﬂects your personal style. Here’s some trend inspiration for 2023.

• Feathers. Whether natural or artiﬁcial, feathers add a festive, daring touch to any outﬁt. Awaken the audacious bird within you with a feather-embellished coat, skirt or hat.

• Crafted leather. This fall’s leather options are like nothing you’ve seen before. Keep an eye out for embroidery, textures, embossing, draping and treatments that make leather look like other materials. From classic to rocker or romantic, reinvented leather is a dazzling choice for your next jacket or dress.

• Giant bows. As chic as it is

playful, the bow is a key accessory for fall 2023. Worn on the shoulder, waist or chest, large bows have appeared on the catwalks of this year’s most prestigious international fashion shows.

• Red. What colour is more captivating or irresistible than red? This flattering, confident shade is showing up on shirts, pants, jackets, dresses and shoes. If you find bright red too over-the-top, try burgundy.

• Tartan. You’ll see this timeless fabric in coats, dresses, suits and capes this fall. If you like turning heads, don’t be afraid to experiment with patterns in non-traditional colours like pink or purple.

Check out your local boutiques to discover clothing and accessories to enhance your fall style this year.

5 reasons to love autumn

Does the end of summer give you a touch of the blues? You can give yourself some consolation by reacquainting yourself with the charms of autumn. Here are ﬁve

1. Magniﬁcent landscapes. Seize the few weeks when the trees are adorned with sublime colour. Take a walk in the forest, go on a road trip or set out on a bike ride — and don’t forget to bring your camera.

2. Culture kick-oﬀ. Fall is the perfect time to join a new recreation program, watch new TV shows, catch a new exhibit and attend a book or record launch. Reconnect with your friends and ﬁnd beautiful new ways to escape from the daily routine.

3. Halloween preparations. You can have a great time checking out the local haunted house, decorating your home or working on your costume for that big Halloween party. If you have children, the fun is multiplied.

4. Cocooning season. After a frenzied summer, now is the time to wind down. Put on your favourite woollen cardigan, grab a hot mug of herbal tea or coﬀee and catch the chatter of migratory birds. Indulging in me-time is such a pleasure!

5. Harvest time. Vegetable farms and orchards are in full