Suncor Energy Inc. will spend $1.4 billion to upgrade its Oil Sands Base Plant near Fort McMurray, the company said Monday.

Calgary-based Suncor will build two natural gas co-generation units that will replace three petroleum coke-fired boilers.

The project will provide steam generation needed to extract crude oil and will generate 800 megawatts of power that will be transmitted to Alberta’s power grid. Suncor said the investment will cut greenhouse gas emissions associated with the plant’s steam production by 25 per cent.

“This is a great example of how Suncor deploys capital in projects that are economically robust, sustainability minded and technologically progressive,” said Suncor President and CEO Mark Little in a release.

In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the new units are also expected to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by 45 per cent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 15 per cent, and increase demand for clean natural gas from Western Canada.

The project is expected to be in service by the second half of 2023.