Thunder Bay Generating Station

{{Infobox power station

|name = Thunder Bay Generating Station

|image = ThunderBayCoalGenStn.jpg

|image_caption = The Thunder Bay Generating Station

|image_size = 200px

|country = Canada

|location = Thunder Bay, Ontario

|coordinates = {{coord|48|21|36|N|89|13|12|W|type:city_region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}

|owner = Ontario Power Generation

|status = D

|th_fuel_primary = Advanced biomass

|th_technology = Steam turbine

|th_combined_cycle =

|ps_electrical_capacity=

|commissioned = 1963 (coal)
2015 (biomass)

|decommissioned = 2018

}}

Thunder Bay Generating Station is a defunct biomass-fired thermal power station owned by Ontario Power Generation ("OPG"). It is located on Mission Island in Thunder Bay, on the shore of Lake Superior.{{cite web|url=http://www.opg.com/generating-power/thermal/stations/thunder-bay-station/Pages/thunder-bay-station.aspx |title=Thunder Bay Generation Station|publisher=Ontario Power Generation|accessdate=December 9, 2018}}

Thunder Bay GS was in operation from 1963 to 2018.{{cite news |title=OPG to close Thunder Bay Generating Station |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/thunder-bay-gs-close-1.4764057 |accessdate=March 24, 2020 |work=CBC News |date=July 27, 2018}} It was the last coal fired station in Ontario.{{cite web |url=http://www.opg.com/news-and-media/news-releases/Documents/140415TBGSBurnsLastCoal.pdf |title=Ontario Power Generation Moves to Cleaner Energy Future: Thunder Bay Station Burns Last Piece of Coal |publisher=Ontario Power Generation |accessdate=December 9, 2018 |archive-date=July 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718213224/http://www.opg.com/news-and-media/news-releases/Documents/140415TBGSBurnsLastCoal.pdf |url-status=dead }} The plant was initially shut down in April 2014 as part of Ontario's phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation,{{cite news |url=http://www.tbnewswatch.com/News/367796/Generating_station_returns_to_grid_with_advanced_biomass |title=Thunder Bay generating station to burn biomass| publisher=CBC News|work=Thunder Bay Newswatch|accessdate=December 9, 2018}} before being converted to run on advanced biomass (wood pellets) and recommissioned on February 9, 2015.

Historic operations

Thunder Bay GS began operation in 1963, with one 100 MW coal-fuelled generating unit. Two additional coal-fuelled units were added in the early 1980s, and in 1984 the original 100 MW unit was removed from service. This plant is connected to the power grid via 115 kV and 230 kV transmission lines. The station occupies {{convert|53|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}} on Mission Island, at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River delta on Thunder Bay. The plant's main chimney was {{convert|198|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} tall.{{cite web|url=http://www.opg.com/power/thermal/brochures/thunderbaybrochure.pdf |title=Thunder Bay Generating Station (brochure)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529164626/https://www.opg.com/power/thermal/brochures/thunderbaybrochure.pdf |archive-date=May 29, 2012|accessdate=December 9, 2018}} The stack was demolished on September 9, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf-YdekPhrk&ab_channel=ConcretePictures|title = Budget Demolition - Thunder Bay Generating Station - 650 Foot Stack Blast - Sept 09, 2021|website = YouTube}}

The two coal-fuelled boilers provided a peak output of 326 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|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=October 18, 2019}} and low-sulfur sub-bituminous coal from the Powder River Basin in the United States.

While operating as a coal plant, annual production was approximately 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), enough energy to supply over 100,000 households for one year.

Conversion from coal

There were multiple announcements on the future of Thunder Bay GS over 10 years. The Ontario government initially proposed conversion to natural gas in 2004 but subsequently canceled that plan in 2006.{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Bob |title=Thunder Bay coal plant to convert to gas |url=https://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2860212 |accessdate=December 9, 2018 |work=Kenora Daily Miner and News |publisher=Sun Media Corporation |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713143735/https://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2860212 |archivedate=July 13, 2011}}

Then, as part of the 2010 Long-Term Energy Plan, Ontario's Ministry of Energy announced that Thunder Bay GS would be converted from coal to natural gas by the end of 2014. This was part of the Ontario government's commitment to phase out all of its coal-burning power generation.{{cite news| url=http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2010/11/thunder-bay-coal-plant-to-convert-to-cleaner-power.html |title=Thunder Bay Coal Plant To Convert To Cleaner Power| date=November 23, 2010|publisher=Province of Ontario|accessdate=December 9, 2018}}

On 1st November 2012, OPG announced that the Ontario Power Authority requested that the conversion to natural gas be suspended until the Ontario Power Authority could assess generating needs in northwestern Ontario.{{cite news |title=Thunder Bay Conversion Project Suspended |url=http://www.opg.com/news/releases/TBay%20Conversion%20Suspension.pdf |accessdate=December 9, 2018 |publisher=Ontario Power Generation |date=November 1, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228064229/https://www.opg.com/news/releases/TBay%20Conversion%20Suspension.pdf |archivedate=December 28, 2013}} The next announcement on the generating station's fate was made in November 2013 when the Ministry of Energy announced that Thunder Bay GS would be converted to advanced biomass.

Ontario's Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli outlined the broad terms of the conversion in a directive to the Ontario Power Authority dated 16th December 2013.{{cite web |title=Re: Supply Agreement with Ontario Power Generation for the conversion of Thunder Bay Generating Station |url=http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/sites/default/files/news/December-16-2013-Directive-Supply-Agreement-with-OPG.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Energy, Government of Ontario |accessdate=December 9, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403211154/http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/sites/default/files/news/December-16-2013-Directive-Supply-Agreement-with-OPG.pdf |archivedate=April 3, 2016 |date=December 16, 2013}} Chiarelli noted that the station will have only one unit operating as a peaking plant and that OPG is only permitted to purchase 15,000 tonnes of fuel annually. It was estimated that the 15,000 tonnes of fuel would permit the single unit to operate at 2% of capacity.{{cite news |last1=Ross |first1=Ian |title=Pellet solution will save on power plant conversion costs |url=http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Industry-News/engineering/2014/01/Pellet-solution-will-save-on-power-plant-conversion-costs.aspx |accessdate=December 9, 2018 |publisher=Northern Ontario Business Ltd |date=January 7, 2014}}

A five-year contract was in place for the generating station to produce electricity beginning in January 2015.{{cite news |title=Cleaner Air for Ontarians |url=http://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2013/11/cleaner-air-for-ontarians.html |accessdate=9 December 2018 |publisher=Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, Gov't of Ontario}}

{{asof|2015}}, the plant burns steam-treated wood pellets (biocoal) from Arbaflame in Norway.{{cite news |title=OPG Celebrates National Bioenergy Day |url=http://www.opg.com/news-and-media/news-releases/Documents/20151021_National%20Bioenergy%20Day.pdf |accessdate=December 9, 2018 |publisher=Ontario Power Generation |date=October 21, 2015}}

On July 27, 2018, OPG and IESO announced the closure of Thunder Bay Generating Station due to a leak in the boiler causing the station to be shut down since May 2017. Estimated repair costs would be about $5 million and the contract expiration in 2020 was not intended to be renewed.

{{cite news|url=https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/generating-station-to-be-closed-998237 |title=Update: Generating station to be closed |first=Matt|last=Vis| publisher=Dougall Media| work=TBNewsWatch.com|date=July 27, 2018|accessdate=December 9, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/regional-news/thunder-bay/high-cost-lack-of-use-shutters-thunder-bay-generating-station-998952|title=High cost, lack of use shutters Thunder Bay Generating Station|website=Northern Ontario Business|language=en|access-date=2020-01-17}}

In 2021 demolition began on the generation station by the Hamilton-based company, Budget Demolition. The work was expected to take two to three years and the majority of the materials was recycled.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/demolition-underway-at-former-opg-generating-station-10-photos-4175622|title = Demolition underway at former OPG generating station (10 photos)}} The 650-foot chimney came down in a controlled demolition on 9 September 2021 and was captured on video on YouTube.

Emissions

File:Thunder Bay emissions 2004-2009.png |accessdate=23 December 2012}}]]

The Thunder Bay Generating Station ranked within the top 200 facility emitters, according to Environment Canada.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/ges-ghg/DF08C7BA-5545-4FEA-ADDE-73C8BE97205D/GHG%20Table%203.xls|title=Erreur HTTP 404 - non trouvé}}

class="wikitable" \|+ Greenhouse Gases (2010) ! scope="col" \| Greenhouse gas ! scope="col" \| Sum (tonnes) ! scope="col" \| Sum (tonnes CO₂e*)
scope="row" \| CO₂ \| 264,950.63 \|\| 264,951
scope="row" \| CH₄ \| 3.86 \|\| 81
scope="row" \| N₂O \| 4.75 \|\| 1,472
scope="row" \| Total \| - \|\| 266,504

class="wikitable"

|+ Greenhouse Gases (2010)

! scope="col" | Greenhouse gas

! scope="col" | Sum (tonnes)

! scope="col" | Sum (tonnes CO₂e*)

scope="row" | CO₂

| 264,950.63 || 264,951

scope="row" | CH₄

| 3.86 || 81

scope="row" | N₂O

| 4.75 || 1,472

scope="row" | Total

| - || 266,504

*Calculated figures for CO₂e are rounded to the nearest tonne.

class="wikitable" \|+ Total emissions, 2004-2010
Year ! Emissions (tonnes CO₂e)
2004 \|1,128,341
2005 \|1,159,003
2006 \|1,137,327
2007 \|712,571
2008 \|832,868
2009 \|190,366
2010 \|266,504

class="wikitable"

|+ Total emissions, 2004-2010

Year

! Emissions (tonnes CO₂e)

2004

|1,128,341

2005

|1,159,003

2006

|1,137,327

2007

|712,571

2008

|832,868

2009

|190,366

2010

|266,504

References

[http://www.opg.com/pdf/brochure_thunderbay.pdf Thunder Bay Generating Station Information Brochure]

External links

[http://www.opg.com/generating-power/thermal/stations/thunder-bay-station/Pages/thunder-bay-station.aspx Ontario Power Generation: Thunder Bay Generating Station]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190330045224/http://www.opg.com/generating-power/thermal/stations/thunder-bay-station/Pages/thunder-bay-station.aspx Archived version of "Ontario Power Generation: Thunder Bay Generating Station" (saved 30 March 2019)]

Category:Ontario Power Generation

Category:Buildings and structures in Thunder Bay

Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1963

Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 2015

Category:Ontario electricity policy

Category:Former coal-fired power stations in Canada

Category:1963 establishments in Ontario

Category:Biomass power stations in Ontario

Category:2018 disestablishments in Ontario

Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Ontario

Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2021