Canadian power proponent files for gas-fired plant in Alberta
Moraine Initiatives Limited (MIL) has filed an initial project description with federal regulators for a 465 MW gas-fired combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant near Whitecourt, northwest of Edmonton, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) said May 18.
The Moraine Power Generation Project (MPGP) would incorporate post-combustion integrated carbon capture and storage (ICCS) technology to capture 95% of the plant’s CO2 emissions and store them in the proposed Athabasca Banks CCS hub, about 12 km away.
Pending regulatory approvals, which may include a federal impact assessment, construction could start as early as 2024, with operations to commence in 2027, the project description says. Emissions associated with operation of the plant have been estimated at 95,821 metric tons/year of CO2-equivalent, including 79,823 mt/yr of CO2 and 294 mt/yr of methane, or CH4.
The IAAC is inviting public comments on the proposed project, to be filed by June 16, 2023, which will help the agency prepare a summary of issues and determine whether the project should undergo an impact assessment.