Rio Tinto Installs 3.5 MW Solar Plant at Diavik Mine in Canada

In a significant step for renewable energy in Canada’s north, Rio Tinto has completed the installation of a 3.5-megawatt solar plant at its Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories. The facility, which became fully operational in July 2024, now stands as the largest off-grid solar installation across Canada’s northern territories.

The new plant is engineered to generate approximately 4.2 million kilowatt-hours (4.2 GWh) of clean electricity annually. Its array of 6,620 bifacial solar panels is designed to capture energy from direct sunlight as well as light reflected off the region’s snow cover. This clean power generation is projected to displace one million litres of diesel fuel each year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2,900 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent—comparable to removing 630 cars from the road.

This solar project enhances Diavik’s existing renewable energy infrastructure, which includes a pioneering 55.4 MW wind-diesel hybrid facility operational since 2012. The solar installation will supply up to 25% of the mine’s electricity needs as it transitions into its closure phase. Commercial diamond production is set to conclude in 2026, with full decommissioning activities planned to continue through 2029.

Construction, which began in February 2024, was a collaborative effort between Solvest Inc. and the Indigenous-owned Tłıchǫ Investment Corporation, with members of the Tłıchǫ community comprising approximately 30% of the construction workforce. The project’s funding included C$3.3 million from the Northwest Territories’ Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant program and an additional C$600,000 from the federal Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit.

As the mine prepares for closure, Rio Tinto is collaborating with the Government of the Northwest Territories and local community partners to explore how the renewable energy assets can continue to benefit the region long-term. This initiative is a key part of Rio Tinto’s global decarbonization strategy, which aims to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero operations by 2050.

Sources

1. Rio Tinto to Build World-scale Solar Plant in Canada – Breakbulk
2. Rio Tinto’s Diavik Mine Wins Environmental Award for Solar Project
3. Solvest Inc. and TIC Complete Solar Construction and Installation at …
4. Rio Tinto to build the largest solar power plant in Canada’s North
5. Rio Tinto’s Diavik solar plant goes live – North of 60 Mining News
6. Rio Tinto builds Canada’s biggest off-grid solar plant
7. Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine Champions Renewable Energy
8. Rio Tinto solar PV plant to meet 25% of Canadian diamond mine’s …
9. Rio Tinto completes construction of its solar power plant at Diavik …
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