The Saskatchewan government says the province’s electrical utility is to remit carbon charges into a nuclear energy investment fund.

The province says the fund would be used to help Saskatchewan deploy its first small modular reactor.

It also says carbon charges would go toward clean electricity operating costs to keep power rates affordable.

SaskPower, which is the province’s electricity utility, collects carbon charges from ratepayers, and the province has authority over how to invest the money.

The province says carbon charges from other heavy emitters are to be deposited into a technology fund for projects that reduce, sequester and capture emissions.

It says it’s to track carbon revenues and expenses from heavy emitters through the provincial budget.