Genesee Generating Station
{{Short description|Coal-fired power station in Leduc County, Alberta}}
{{Infobox power station
| name = Genesee Generating Station
| image = Genesee Generating Station 2020.jpg
| image_caption = Genesee Generating Station in 2020
| coordinates = {{coord|53.343|-114.303|scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| owner = Capital Power
| status = O
| commissioned = 1989 (G2), 1994 (G1), 2005 (G3)
| decommissioned =
| th_fuel_primary = Natural gas (100%)
| ps_cooling_source = Genesee cooling pond
| th_technology = Steam turbine
| ps_combined_cycle =
| ps_units_operational = 2 × 430 MW subcritical coal-fired steam
1 × 516 MW supercritical coal-fired steam
| ps_units_planned = 2 × 530 MW combined cycle gas turbines (both 50% Capital Power Corporation, 50% ENMAX Corporation)
| ps_electrical_capacity = 1,376 MW
}}
Genesee Generating Station is a thermal power station owned by Capital Power Corporation, located near Genesee, Alberta, Canada; 71 km (44 miles) southwest of Edmonton, Alberta. The cooling pond {{citation needed|date=February 2022}} covers {{convert|735|ha}}. The pond is topped up with water from the North Saskatchewan River.https://www.capitalpower.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Appendix_F_Genesee_Cooling_Pond_Modelling_Study.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}} As of June 18, 2024, all units are now 100% natural gas-fueled.{{Cite web |title=Genesee Generating Station is off coal – all units 100% natural gas-fueled |url=https://www.capitalpower.com/media/media_releases/genesee-generating-station-is-off-coal-all-units-100-natural-gas-fueled/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Capital Power |language=en-CA}}
The station consists of three units.
Description
The Genesee Generating Station consists of:{{cite web|url=http://www.energyquest4nanticoke.ca/gen3c.pdf|title=Presentation on G3|publisher=|accessdate=13 November 2018|archive-date=6 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175958/http://www.energyquest4nanticoke.ca/gen3c.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.capitalpower.com/generationportfolio/CA/Genesee/G3MoreInfo/Genesee%20Tour%20Brochure%20(2016).pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-08-09 |archive-date=2017-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809132027/http://www.capitalpower.com/generationportfolio/CA/Genesee/G3MoreInfo/Genesee%20Tour%20Brochure%20(2016).pdf |url-status=dead }}
- G1 - one 400 net MW unit (commissioned in May 1994)
- G2 - one 400 net MW unit (commissioned in October 1989)
- G3 - one 466 net MW unit (commissioned in March 2005)
The boilers were supplied by Combustion Engineering/Hitachi while the turbines/generator are supplied by GEC/Hitachi.{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20121205091754/http://www.industcards.com/st-coal-canada.htm Coal Fired Power Plants in Canada - Power Plants Around the World]}} The plant has two smokestacks, one 138 m (453 ft) tall, the other 121 m (397 ft) tall.{{cite web|url=http://ec.gc.ca/inrp-npri/donnees-data/index.cfm?do=facility_information&lang=En&opt_npri_id=0000000267&opt_report_year=2011|title=Environment and Climate Change Canada - NPRI Data Search|website=ec.gc.ca|accessdate=13 November 2018}}
=Conversion to natural gas=
On 18 June 2019, Capital Power announced plans to expand the "dual-fuel" capabilities of all three units to running off 50% coal and 50% natural gas, with the intent to convert the power station to 100% natural gas use by 2030. Capital Power submitted applications in 2020 and received approval from the AUC and AEP in 2021 to convert Units 1 and 2 to Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) technology. The project also includes addition of a 210 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).{{Cite web|url=https://www.capitalpower.com/operations/genesee-1-2/|title=Repowering of Genesee 1 & 2|access-date=2023-01-17}} Unit 3 was converted to a 60/40 ratio of coal to natural gas in spring 2021 and will be converted to enable 100% gas firing in 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.capitalpower.com/operations/genesee-3/|title=Genesee Generating Station 3|language=en-us|access-date=2023-01-17}} According to Capital Power, all units were to be off coal by 2023.{{Cite web |title=Genesee Generating Station |url=https://www.capitalpower.com/about-genesee/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Capital Power |language=en-CA}} The date for units 1 and 2 has since been delayed to 2024.{{cite web |title=Genesee Generating Station Repowering Genesee 1 & 2 |url=https://www.capitalpower.com/operations/genesee-generating-station-repowering-genesee-1-2/ |website=Capital Power |access-date=21 August 2023 |language=en-CA}} Capital Power announced on May 1st, 2024 that Genesee 1 had been retired and was undergoing a refit to natural gas generation.{{Cite web |title=Capital Power announces first quarter 2024 results ~ Genesee Repowering project hits major milestones|url=https://www.capitalpower.com/media/media_releases/capital-power-announces-first-quarter-2024-results/ |website=Capital Power | access-date=10 May 2024}} On June 18, 2024, Capital Power announced that all units are now 100% natural gas-fueled, five years ahead of the Alberta government mandate for the phaseout of coal power.