Canadian Coal Generator Achieves CCS Milestone

A carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility operating at the coal-fired Boundary Dam power station in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan reached 4mn mt of CO₂ stored late last month, government-owned SaskPower said March 31.

CCS capabilities were added to the 115-MW Unit 3 at the station, near Estevan in the southeast corner of the province, in 2014.

“This facility was the first of its kind in the world and stands as a strong example of our government’s commitment to supporting innovation,” said Don Morgan, minister responsible for SaskPower. “We believe finding technological solutions such as CCS are crucial for transitioning to a prosperous, low-carbon future.”

The CO₂ at Boundary Dam is transported 71 km by pipeline to an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project near Weyburn operated by Whitecap Resources. The EOR project, which also takes CO₂ from a coal gasification facility in North Dakota, has sequestered more than 31mn mt of CO₂ since it was launched in 2000.