Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto announced on Thursday that it will begin construction of the largest solar power plant in northern Canada on the site of its Diavik diamond mine. Rio Tinto plans to install 6,600 solar panels at Diavik, a major diamond production center 300 kilometers (185 miles) northeast of Yellowknife near the Arctic Circle. Construction on the solar site will start within weeks, and when operational in the first half of 2024 will generate around 4,200 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, Rio Tinto said in a statement. ALSO READ | Here’s how SA’s solar energy boom is quietly saving the countryThe solar site will power up to a quarter of Diavik’s electricity as it moves toward ceasing operations. “This important project reinforces our dedication to reducing our carbon footprint,” Angela Bigg, president and CEO of the Diavik diamond mine, said in the statement.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 11, 2023 11:14 UTC