Atikokan Generating Station
| Atikokan Generating Station | |
|---|---|
 Location in Ontario | |
| 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(s) | Ontario Power Generation |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Wood biomass (2014) |
| Turbine technology | Steam turbine |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 205 MW |
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.
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 Western Canada. In late 2012, the facility powered down and underwent renovations, due to the Ontario government's initiative to eliminate all coal-fired electricity generation.[1] It is the first generating station to be converted by OPG to be fueled by biomass,[2] and is North America's largest purely biomass-fueled power plant.[3] The conversion came at a cost of C$200 million, and the plant was re-opened on 10 September 2014.[3][4][5]
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
| 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 |
See also
- Thunder Bay Generating Station
- Kakabeka Generating Station
- List of power stations in Canada
- List of tallest smokestacks in Canada
References
- ^ 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
- ^ http://www.ediweekly.com/largest-biomass-power-plant-na-set-open-atikokan/
- ^ "$200M conversion coming for Atitkokan coal plant", CBC News, July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ a b http://ec.gc.ca/ges-ghg/donnees-data/index.cfm?do=facility_info&lang=en&ghg_id=G10016&year=2012