Heating up

An area MPP said Thursday that Atikokan is a step closer to producing cleaner power, but admits that it isn’t a slam dunk for the community just yet.

Ontario Power Generation is seeking pricing proposals for 90,000 tonnes of wood-based biomass fuel from companies to see if converting the Atikokan Generating Station to a greener fuel is feasible.

"If this moves forward and this does happen, we’ll see in a large way, I’d expect, the development of a different wood-based industry here in Northwestern Ontario," said MPP Bill Mauro (Lib., Thunder Bay – Atikokan). "It’s been a six-year evolution that’s going to have just not the result of potentially keeping that plant open, fired on biomass, but also the creation of another wood-based industry that will also have significant job creation associated with it."

The call for quotes ends in mid-May and OPG is looking for Ontario-sourced and processed suppliers.

Mauro said it’s vital to ensure there is the capacity of biomass in the province to fuel the plant.

"If you’re going to convert the plant, we need to be sure that not only can we run it on an economic model, but there is the volume of wood biomass available on a going forward basis to ensure you have the supply to meet that expense," he said.

The MPP added that if pricing proposals result positively, the not-too-distant future could yield good news for the people of Atikokan.

"That’s why I’m characterizing this as a positive step forward," he said. "We’re not there yet."

Ed Fukushima, secretary-treasure of Atikokan Renewable Fuel, an under-construction wood-pellet producing plant, said the announcement is good news, that OPG is planning to go ahead with the conversion of the coal plant to biomass renewable energy.

"It could mean a tremendous amount of business for us and the town of Atikokan if we are the successful chosen vendor," he said, adding the fact the competition is limited to Ontario produced wood is excellent.

"It’s taxpayer money," he said. "They should be buying into the province. Everyone should be doing that."

A final decision on the conversion of the Atikokan plant is expected in the next few months.