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POWER GENERATING STATIONS
One of the reasons
Estevan is now called
"The Energy City"

The First Power Plant in Estevan
was located where Foley Motors on 4th St once stood
It was owned and operated
by a Mr. George G. Collison and a
Mr. William Henry Skinner

William Henry Skinner
b- Feb 1871 in Ontario
(b- Sept 13, 1875 per 1901 census, age 25)
d- Aug 17, 1925, probably in Estevan SK
He is buried in Estevan City Cemetery
shown as an electrician in 1911 Census living in Estevan
wife- Mary Francis Collison
b- Nov 13, 1884 per 1901 census, age 16

5 children I have found

Elizabeth Grace Skinner
b- July 2, 1900 in North Portal SK
d- ?

George Henry Skinner
b- Jan 15, 1904 in Coalfields, SK
b- ?

Mary Edna Skinner
b- June 6, 1906 in North Portal SK
d- Aug 30, 1906, at North Portal,  2 1/2 mo old.
Methodist, burial at North Portal Cemetery

William John (Harvey) Skinner,
b- Oct 5, 1907 in Estevan SK
d- ?
1923 he won a Senior boy's Champion Cup at ECI
also found a record where he was a winning boxer in 1924.

Ruth June Skinner
b- ca 1912 in Estevan SK
d- ?
married June 21, 1935,
Frederick C. Weismantel, b- ca 1911 in Corona NY
a musician from Whitestone NY
son of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Weismantel
she was age 23, he was age 24 when they married

1901 William Henry Skinner was living in Roche Percee,
with his wife and daughter Elizabeth.
shown b- Sept 13, 1875 in this census
wife Nov 13, 1884, age 16, age 25
He was shown as a farmer here.

1906 family living in North Portal area,
William Henry Skinner shown as a farmer again.

The other owner/operator was George G. Collison Jr.
shown in 1906 census with his family in the Estevan Area
age 44 in 1906.

Collison Picture and Family info
courtesy Mr. Lloyd Collison,
from Garden Grove California,
who is researching this family

George G. Collison Jr.
b- Sept 27,1859 in ON
d- Mar 27, 1916 in Winnipeg, age 56

living in Killarney, Souris, MB in 1911
occupation Engineer

George Collison married Elizabeth Anna Davis in Owen Sound, ON.
b- Oct 1864 in ON
daughter of William Davis, and Mary Jane Anderson
George shown as an engineer, born in Owen sound, age 22 when he married
 living in Hamilton when he married
Elizabeth born in Southampton, age 18 when she married

They had 5 children I know of:

Mary Francis Collison (see below)
b. 1884
d- ?

Margaret Jane Collison
b.  1886
d- ?

John H. Collison,
b- July 1888 in ON
d- ?
age 18 in 1906 census
in 1911 census shown as an electrician, age 22

Ida May Collison
b- June 11, 1904, at Coalfields SK
d- ?
shown age 2 in 1906 census

George Albert Collison
b- Dec 1, 1894 in SK
d- ?
shown age 11 in 1906 census

 George Collison was the son of George Collison and Fanny Roselle

His oldest daughter Mary Francis Collison
married William Henry Skinner
the other owner/operator of this first light plant.
So now we know the family connection.
 

First Public Owned Power Plant
in the area was the Old Power Plant at 814 6th Street
built around 1911 (one source says 1910)
It was built by the town of Estevan.
It cost $32,000.00
it had a capacity of 300 kw
It later became a brewery after the station below was built.
NO PICTURE

In 1927 another plant was built
at the junction of Long Creek
and the Souris River.
It had the capacity of 850 KW
today the building is the City water treatment plant.
In 1928 this plant was bought by Dominion Electric Power
It was shut down when the plant pictured below was built,
by Dominion Electric Power in 1930.
It opened at 2750 kw (one source says 2000 kw)
In 1946 the Saskatchewan Government bought the plant,
and it was operated under the SPC as the years went on.
in 1956 the output was 72,750 kw
Not sure what it was when it was shut down.

Apr 1928 it was announced that
the FIRST Central Electric Generating Station
in Saskatchewan
was to be built near Estevan.
by the Montreal Engineering Company,
a subsidiary of the Calgary Power Corporation.
they had the following towns enter by franchise,
Alameda, Oxbow, Frobisher, and Glen Ewen.
to sign contracts for power from this site.
They had chosen a site, but it wasn't made public.
The company will distribute power on many lines.
the company had another 14 points on the
Arcola Line, Broomhead-Radville Line,
and the Souris-Arcola line.

Mystery
Nov 22, 2011, Mr. Philip Cox,
sent me this great newspaper clip,
of his Grandfather, Archibald "Archie" Cox.
The article says he was Superintendent of Utilities, for the City of Estevan.
Now if we only knew what Power Plant he was associated with?
what date this article was printed?
The House that Cox Built?  Where?
If you know, please email me.

In Feb 1928, City Council had bids from Senator Schlosser of ND for $140,000.00
Montreal Engineering Company were interested in buying it as well.
Feb 28, 1928 they called for tenders
they had a bid from the J. H. McNiven interests in St. Paul for $200,000.00
Others interested, Dominion Electric Co., Midwest Utilities,
and Long Creek Development Company from Regina.

Dominion Electric was a corporation of American and Canadian Capital.

then in May 11, 1928 article it stated the Estevan Electric Light Plant
was sold for $220,000.00 to the Dominion Light and Power Company
vote for the bylaw, for 231, against 3, spoiled ballots 2.
name of Dominion Electric Power Ltd.  appears in 1940.
It was a Canadian Subsidiary of an American company,
the Washington Gas and Electric Company.
In 1942 they had 18 plants.

Feb 7, 1945 the Saskatchewan Government bought the
Dominion Electric Power Ltd. for $450,000.00.

at the same time in 1928 these same companies
 were trying to buy the Weyburn Electric Plant
 

Old Estevan Generating Station

When Dominion Electric owned and operated it

Old Photo of the plant
Courtesy Mr. Grant Walker, Studio City CA, Feb 2013

When Saskatchewan government owned and operated it.
Old Estevan Generating Station
built in 1930
It was Located south
of the present day
Estevan Garbage Dump,
in the Valley
Photo above taken 1978

Estevan Generating Station in the Valley
demolished early 2000


Gesell family swimming in the cooling pond of the power plant
Sunday Aug 16, 1930