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Trading coal for biomass at Atikokan

Thu, 08/26/2010
McGuinty Government Adding More Clean Power, Creating Local Jobs
 

August 26, 2010 -  Ontario is turning off coal and switching on biomass at the Atikokan Generation Station - a move that supports jobs in the community and takes the province another step closer to eliminating all coal-fired generation by the end of 2014.

The conversion will create up to 200 construction jobs and help protect jobs at the plant. It will also support an estimated 20 to 25 jobs in Ontario related to the production of wood pellets and sustain other jobs in the forestry sector.

The project is expected to take up to three years to complete. Once converted, the plant is expected to generate 150 million kilowatt-hours of renewable power, enough to power 15,000 homes each year.

This initiative supports the province's five-year Open Ontario Plan to create new opportunities for jobs and growth, as well as investing in infrastructure and clean energy.

QUICK FACTS

  • Ontario has today directed the Ontario Power Authority to negotiate an agreement to buy the biomass power generated at Atikokan from Ontario Power Generation, the plant's owner - this is a critical next step in the process of converting the plant to biomass.
  • In 2009, generation by Ontario's coal plants was at its lowest level in 45 years, and down more than 70 per cent from 2003.
  • Biomass generation is a very flexible fuel which makes it a good backup source of power for this particular region, with variable hydroelectric conditions.
  • The annual fuel requirements for the plant, made up of dried wood pellets, are estimated to amount to less than one per cent of the total allowable forest harvest in Ontario each year.
  • Atikokan is located approximately 200 km Northwest of Thunder Bay.
     

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