Looks like PEC is not the only power generation proposal for port lands....
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JOANNA LAVOIE
Jul. 20, 2006
Port lands-based paper recycler Cascades Boxboard Group has partnered with Toronto Hydro Energy Services Inc. (THES) on a proposal to build a 30-megawatt power co-generation facility at its Commissioners Street plant.
The proposal is in response to the Ontario Power Authority's recently issued request for proposals that seeks up to 1,000 new megawatts of high-efficiency combined heat and power facilities across the province.
Co-generation initiatives like the Cascades/THES proposal, as well as district energy projects, all fall under the provincial agency's future electrical generation plans.
An initial open house about the Cascades/THES proposal was held last week at the South Riverdale Community Health Centre so the community could review the details and ask any preliminary questions of its stakeholders.
"I'm just here basically to learn more about the project and understand the process they'll be going through," said Oliver Jerschow, a member of Urban Startegies' project management team, which was commissioned by the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation to stay on top of all new initiatives in the port lands.
Jerschow said he also attended the open house as an interested Beach resident.
"This will actually help strengthen the electricity grid in this part of Toronto, which is quite important," said Joyce McLean, Toronto Hydro Corporation's director of strategic issues, the parent company of Toronto Hydro Energy Services Inc., at the gathering.
"This is also a good fit with Cascades."
McLean, noting this project is completely separate from the controversial Portlands Energy Centre proposal, said one megawatt could be enough power to provide electricity for up to 500 homes.
With Cascades as the host and Toronto Hydro Energy Services as the investor, the project will be a win-win situation, said Tony Wong, Cascades' Toronto mill manager.
"It's a joint effort. We put our heads together, " said Wong, explaining Cascades would also benefit from steam and power generated at the facility. This in turn would help improve his plant's paper recycling process through the closure of the plant's existing boilers.
Cascades currently recycles one half of the city's gray bin paper waste and employs 150 people.
The proposed facility would use natural gas to produce energy for the Toronto electrical grid. Two 15-megawatt gas-fired combustion turbines erected on a one-acre site adjacent to Basin Street would serve as the energy producers.
Jack Simpson THES' vice-president of generation said another advantage of the proposal is its environmentally friendly aspects.
"From our perspective, clean and green projects are important and appropriate for Toronto," said Simpson, whose organization built, owns and operates the wind turbine on the CNE grounds.
"It does a lot of good things here. This will be a very clean and low-emission plant."
At this time, Cascades/THES is embarking upon a study of the environmental effects of the project, a requirement under the Environmental Assessment Act of Ontario and the Environmental Screening Process.
The final bid for the project will be submitted to the Ontario Power Authority next month with the selected proposals announced in October. If chosen, the Cascades/THES project could be under construction by January of 2008.