Atikokan Generating Station is a biomass power plant owned by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) located 8 km (5 mi) north of Atikokan, Ontario (190 km (118 mi) west of Thunder Bay). The plant employs 90 people. The Atikokan Generating Station began operation as a coal fired station in 1985 and underwent an overhaul in the autumn of 2003.
| Atikokan Generating Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Location | Atikokan, Ontario |
| Coordinates | 48°50′17″N 91°34′15″W / 48.83806°N 91.57083°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1985 (coal-fired) 2014 (biomass-fired) |
| Owner | Ontario Power Generation |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Wood biomass (2014) |
| Turbine technology | Steam turbine |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 205 MW |
Until 2012, it had one coal-fueled generating unit with low nitrogen oxide (NOx) burners, providing a peak output of 230 MW fuelled by low-sulfur lignite coal from the Ravenscrag Formation in Southern Saskatchewan.[1]
In late 2012, the facility powered down and underwent renovations, due to the Ontario government's initiative to eliminate all coal-fired electricity generation.[2] It is the first generating station to be converted by OPG to be fueled by biomass,[3] and is North America's largest purely biomass-fueled power plant.[4] The conversion came at a cost of C$200 million, and the plant was re-opened on 10 September 2014.[4][5][6]
Annual production at the plant is approximately 900 million kilowatt-hours (kWh), enough energy to supply approximately 70,000 households for one year. The station occupies an area of 300 ha (741 acres). The plant's chimney is 145 m (476 ft) tall, and the steam temperature is 538 °C (1,000 °F). This plant is connected to the provincial power grid via several 230,000-volt transmission lines.
Emissions
edit| Greenhouse gas | Sum (tonnes) | Sum (tonnes CO2e*) |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 | 46,684 | 46,684 |
| CH4 | 1.22 | 26 |
| N2O | 0.92 | 286 |
| Total | - | 46,996 |
*Calculated figures for CO2e are rounded to the nearest tonne.
| Year | Emissions (tonnes CO2e) |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,181,122 |
| 2005 | 1,108,437 |
| 2006 | 851,094 |
| 2007 | 754,148 |
| 2008 | 413,639 |
| 2009 | 200,393 |
| 2010 | 501,830 |
| 2011 | 78,078 |
| 2012 | 46,996 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 48,070 |
| 2016 | 29,219 |
| 2017 | 18,138 |
| 2018 | 19,645 |
| 2019 | 17,022 |
| 2020 | 17,104 |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Saskatchewan Energy and Mines (December 1994). "Coal in Saskatchewan" (PDF). Saskatchewan Publications Centre. p. 27. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-12-18. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
- ^ Montgomery, James. Sneak Peek: Inside The Atikokan Biomass Plant Conversion. Renewable Energy World. 2013-09-12.
- ^ "Ontario coal-fired power plant to switch to biomass", CBC News, January 21, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ a b "Ensuring a future of renewable energy for the people of Northwestern Ontario". Archived from the original on 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
- ^ "Largest biomass power plant in NA set to open in Atikokan – EDI Weekly: Engineered Design Insider". www.ediweekly.com.
- ^ "$200M conversion coming for Atitkokan coal plant", CBC News, July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ a b "Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data search - Canada.ca".