Prince George, B.C.- City Council for the City of Prince George will be sending a letter to the Federal Government  supporting  the projects  listed  by the Canfor Pulp Limited Partnership  under the green transformation fund. 

 

Vice President of Operations, Brett Robinson, as well as David Scott, General Manager of Human Resources appeared before Council this evening "We are the largest  generator of green power  in North America" says Robinson "Almost as much power to power all of Prince George and we've been doing that for 40 years." 

 

CPLP qualified for $122 million dollars for projects. The projects vary in their environmental benefits, from odour and particulate reduction to clean energy production. 

 

One of the four projects listed is said to reduce odour, another will reduce particulates,  create energy and   provide a solid future for employment. The fund provides cash credits for each   litre of black liquor produced in pulp production.

 

In its presentation, the CPLP noted that while many of its competitors are no longer working, it  has an energy edge as it is the largest generator of ‘green’ electricity in North America producing enough green electricity to power 70,000 homes.  That doesn't  mean  power production will  become the primary product of the pulp mills "Pulp will always be a primary product" says Robinson, "but I see if nothing wrong with an opportunity to turn that into electrons we can ship all over B.C."

 

The projects planned are:

Submission target: January 2010

Project Scope: Build pulp transfer line between PG & Intercon mills

Cost estimate: $4-5 million

Project Completion: Q3, 2010 (provided engineering delivers expected results)

Project Justification: Increase PG Mill ‘Green’ Power Generation ~1 MWh/h.

 Increase pulp production at Intercon mill by ~ 4%.

 

 

Submission target: January 2010

Project Scope: – Build system to collect gases currently vented to atmosphere at PG Mill.

– Incinerate collected gases in Recovery Boiler

Capital Cost estimate: $10 million

Project Completion: Q2, 2011(provided engineering delivers expected results)

Project Justification:  Environmental: Odour reduction  This project will go ahead even if  it doesn't get final approval for  the green transformation  funds.  

 

Project Submission Ready – Q1-2010

Improved boiler efficiency

Reduced natural gas consumption

Reduced operation of PB2 - reduced biomass & fossil

fuel demand

Reduce TRS (odour) emission

Reduce particulate emissions

Cost is $90 to $100 million dollars  "This is a project we always knew  we would have to do but we have waited for the right time, and we will agressively go after this one" says Robinson. This project could reduce odour emissions by about 50%. 

 

(PGI Boiler Feed Water Treatment -System Upgrade and PB1 Precipitator)

Project Submission Ready – Q2 - 2010

Improved energy efficiency

Incremental ‘Green’ Electricity Generation - 4 MWh/h

Reduce raw water make-up to pulp mill.

Reduce effluent temperature.

Reduce particulate emissions - single largest point source

Cost estimate is $30 million dollars

 

All of the projects have very tight time lines as they must undergo an environmental assessment and  once approved, must be completed by March 31st, 2012. A letter of support will pave the way for an expedited approval of the projects.

 

Councillor Debora Munoz thanked the CPLP for choosing to spend all the dollars in the Prince George community but asked if the changes are made, will  CPLP be able to meet the Provincial guidelines of no more than 6 micrograms per  cubic meter of fine particulate.  ""I'm pretty sure we're going to get there" says Robinson, who adds the  boiler at the P.G. mill has no precipitator and  making  an improvement there will  make a significant improvement  in fine particulate matter emissions.

 

Robinson says while the amount of money from the Federal Government is $122 million  the projects  listed exceed that "Don't tell my boss, but I plan to overspend."