Next phase of new biomass plant steams into Canada

Nova Scotia Power (NSP) officials have announced a new milestone in the construction of a CAN$208 million (€160 million) biomass cogeneration plant.

A steam turbine and generator used to produce electricity has arrived at the facility and NSP is confident it will generate about 60 MW a year via burned biomass. The combined weight of the turbine and generator came in at 260 tonnes and was delivered on a special rail car that came from San Diego.

‘The turbine and generator are both in their final resting places at the site which now allows us to begin some of the other, larger construction projects,’ says NSP senior project and construction director Roger Burton.

Burton adds that the next phase will see high pressure steam piping going in and also electrical connections joining up to the generator.

Despite initial concerns raised by environmental groups about the potential increased clearcutting, NSP has projected that the biomass plant would create around 150 new forestry jobs.

The plant is scheduled to begin producing power by the end of the first quarter of 2013.