The then-NDP government announced in 2015 that emissions from coal power generation would be eliminated by 2030. While some of the province's coal plants were shut down, Leach said the rest have been converted to generate natural gas. The area's last coal mine closed in 2021, and its neighbouring power plants were converted to natural gas. "Natural gas is an important part of the baseload mix that we rely on 365 days a year." Along with wind and solar power, which have declined in cost over the last few years, natural gas power also remains relatively cheap.
