BioMASS update paper mIll gets Co-geN deal The Ontario Power Authority and St. Marys Paper Corporation have signed a 10-year contract for renewable electricity. The paper company will generate electricity from biomass at a new plant to be built next to its existing mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. St. Marys Renewable Energy Corpora-tion will operate the new plant, which is contracted to supply 30 MW of electricity. Construction is expected to start in 2011, with commercial operation by early 2014. The primary fuel source will be bio-mass, including bark and waste wood. The heat will be used in the mill’s industrial processes; the electricity that is not used by the mill will be sold to the grid. St. Marys has negotiated a commitment of up to 400,000 tonnes/year of biomass from the Algoma and Northshore Crown Forests for the life of the project. IN BrIeF... Coal conversion scheduled As Ontario Power Generation (OPG) con-tinues with its plan to convert Atikokan Generating Station from coal to biomass, it projects plant modifications to begin in 2012 and be completed in late 2013. Once a power purchase agreement with Ontario Power Authority is reached, OPG will start exploring fuel-purchase contracts. NS Power gets biomass wish According to reports in Nova Scotia’s Chronicle Herald newspaper, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board condi-tionally approved the NewPage-Nova Scotia Power (NSP) biomass power pro-posal in mid-October. NSP has reviewed the stipulated conditions and has decided to proceed with the 60-MW biomass power plant in Port Haweksbury, Nova Scotia. Wood supply competition The Ontario Ministry of Northern De-velopment, Mines, and Forestry began communicating with applicants to the Provincial Wood Supply Competitive Process in late September. As a result of evaluations, some applicants will not be able to proceed further in the process because they did not meet minimum thresholds with respect to certain criteria, including management experience, financing and investment, economic and financial viability, operating feasibility, wood supply, and Aboriginal benefits. For applicants proceeding to the next step, the ministry will explore wood supply allocation options to determine which proposals provide maximum benefit for Ontario. Updates are being posted at: http://www.mndmf.gov.on.ca/forestry/ crownwood_e.asp. NL pellet plant close to start Workers at the Holson Forest Products pellet plant in Roddickton-Bide Arm, New-foundland, are finalizing the conveying and electrical systems and preparing to com-mission the plant in late November and early December. The 50,000-tonne capacity plant is looking to supply both domestic residential and European customers. 6 Canadian BIOMASS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010
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