Atikokan Generating Station

{{Infobox power station

|name = Atikokan Generating Station

|country = Canada

|location = Atikokan, Ontario

|coordinates = {{coord|48|50|17|N|91|34|15|W|type:landmark_region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}

|owner = Ontario Power Generation

|status = O

|th_fuel_primary = Wood biomass (2014)

|th_technology = Steam turbine

|ps_electrical_capacity = 205 MW

|commissioned = {{Start date|1985}} (coal-fired)
2014 (biomass-fired)

}}

Atikokan Generating Station is a biomass power plant owned by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) located {{convert|8|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} north of Atikokan, Ontario ({{convert|190|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} 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 the Ravenscrag Formation in Southern Saskatchewan.{{Cite web|url=http://publications.gov.sk.ca/documents/310/8802-MiscRep95-10.pdf|title=Coal in Saskatchewan|last=Saskatchewan Energy and Mines|date=December 1994|website=Saskatchewan Publications Centre|page=27|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218141434/http://publications.gov.sk.ca/documents/310/8802-MiscRep95-10.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-18 |access-date=October 18, 2019}}

In late 2012, the facility powered down and underwent renovations, due to the Ontario government's initiative to eliminate all coal-fired electricity generation.Montgomery, James. [http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/09/sneak-peek-inside-the-atikokan-biomass-plant-conversion Sneak Peek: Inside The Atikokan Biomass Plant Conversion]. Renewable Energy World. 2013-09-12. It is the first generating station to be converted by OPG to be fueled by biomass,"[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-coal-fired-power-plant-to-switch-to-biomass-1.816403 Ontario coal-fired power plant to switch to biomass]", CBC News, January 21, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2009. and is North America's largest purely biomass-fueled power plant. The conversion came at a cost of C$200 million, and the plant was re-opened on 10 September 2014.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sustainabilitynews.ca/advancing-sustainability/ensuring-a-future-of-renewable-energy-for-the-people-of-northwestern-ontario |title=Ensuring a future of renewable energy for the people of Northwestern Ontario |access-date=2014-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417193041/http://www.sustainabilitynews.ca/advancing-sustainability/ensuring-a-future-of-renewable-energy-for-the-people-of-northwestern-ontario |archive-date=2014-04-17 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ediweekly.com/largest-biomass-power-plant-na-set-open-atikokan/|title=Largest biomass power plant in NA set to open in Atikokan – EDI Weekly: Engineered Design Insider|website=www.ediweekly.com}}"[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/200m-conversion-coming-for-atikokan-coal-plant-1.1160770 $200M conversion coming for Atitkokan coal plant]", CBC News, July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.

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 {{convert|300|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}}. The plant's chimney is {{convert|145|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} tall, and the steam temperature is {{convert|538|C|F|0|lk=on|abbr=on}}. This plant is connected to the provincial power grid via several 230,000-volt transmission lines.