The infrastructure in Saskatchewan is aging and needs replacement, and SaskPower wants to make sure everyone knows it. That's the reason behind the Power to Grow tour, which has been going across the province with an interactive exhibit showing people the challenges faced by the crown corporation. The tour stopped at the Threshermen's Show and Senior's Festival held over the weekend in Yorkton.
Derek Friesen, Team Leader for the Power to Grow tour, says that the province has Canada's second power grid system, and the goal of the tour is to get people aware of what it means to replace this infrastructure and why it's necessary. He notes that the corporation is spending a billion dollars annually on the issue, and the tour explains why it needs to happen.
"SaskPower just wants everyone to know the magnitude of the challenge that they face to rebuild and upgrade this system."
The tour is built around augmented reality, Friesen explains, with iPads used as part of an interactive display, with adults and kids getting different experiences. Kids, for example, learned about phantom power, which is when a device draws power even when it is turned off and seemingly inactive.
"It's to open everybody's eyes and show them that we've got the technology right now, and how do we go about rebuilding and updating. It's showing people in a way that's different than giving them a piece of paper to read or a place to go."
With the growth in the province itself, combined with the extra power use by the people already here, Friesen says that the demand on the system is only going to increase. As a result, the message of the tour is one that is important to get across, and make people aware of what is happening with the power utility.
More information on infrastructure needs at SaskPower is available at www.saskpower.com/future.
