A $37-million upgrade to a boiler is nearing completion at Howe Sound Pulp and Paper (HSPP).
Since late May, the mill has focused on the replacement of the bottom half of the furnace with advanced technology that uses a fluidized sand bed to burn waste bark. The mill will begin burning natural gas in the boiler to commence the week-long commissioning and start-up process, which should be complete by Aug. 19.
"We're delighted to be finishing the project and the challenges of such significant work," said HSPP's president and CEO Mac Palmiere. "The boiler will be cleaner, more efficient and more reliable. It plays a pivotal role in our generation of new green power for all British Columbians through our connection to the grid."
During the project, the low concentration portion of the kraft mill's odourous gases, which are normally incinerated, have been vented. HSPP has implemented additional procedures to monitor and react to continuous ambient air quality measurements made in Langdale.
"We sincerely appreciate our neighbours' patience with the additional traffic, activity and odour," added Palmiere. "They [the residents] certainly deserve part of the recognition for the project's success."
The upgrade of its wood residue boiler is part of $37-million in federal Green Transformation Program funding. According to HSPP, this project improves the boiler's reliability, combustion efficiency and fuel handling capacity while reducing emissions. These improvements and other initiatives at the site will result in the generation of green power enough for 36,000 British Columbian homes.
In 2010, HSPP and BC Hydro reached an agreement under BC Hydro's Integrated Power Offer that enables HSPP to sell extra green power to the grid, enhancing the mill's economic fundamentals and improving B.C.'s green power profile.
Improved energy generation from the refurbished boiler combined with internal power reductions will result in an addition 400 GW hours of green power.
The refurbished boiler will reduce natural gas consumption by 6.5 million cubic metres a year, reducing the mill's greenhouse gas emissions by 12,000 tonnes - equal to about 3,000 passenger vehicles.
At the peak of the construction phase, up to 250 employees were on hand to complete the 150,000-man hours of work on the modernization project.
