SaskPower’s carbon-capture facility is back operating at expected capacity, the Crown corporation says.
The $1.5-billion facility, located at the Boundary Dam power plant near Estevan, was shut down during September and October as hundreds of troublesome components were replaced. The facility went back into operation Nov. 2 and, according to SaskPower president Mike Marsh, has since been fully operational and working at up to 99.7 per cent capacity when tested.
“As we were moving through Saturday and Sunday, we were achieving full capacity of that plant for most of that weekend,” Marsh said.
The facility, the first of its kind in the world, captures carbon dioxide from smoke stacks at the Boundary Dam plant for use in enhanced oil recovery. The goal is to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by one million tonnes annually.
The facility opened with much fanfare in October 2014, but its first year of operation was plagued by repeated breakdowns, and supporters quickly turned into critics.
Word of the problems even spread all the way to Washington, with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin — who initially promoted the importance of carbon-capture technology — suggesting earlier this week he’d been misled about its success in Saskatchewan.
SaskPower said they're hoping the recent performance results help repair the facility’s damaged reputation, but the company is still being careful not to make promises. The current performance must be maintained in order for the recent fixes to be declared a success.
--- with files from The Canadian Press and CTV Regina's Wayne Mantyka
