Edmonton: Capital Power Corporation and TransAlta Corporation announced the completion September 1 and commercial operation of the 495 megawatt Keephills 3 generating facility, calling it the most advanced coal-fired plant ever built in Canada.
The cost to build the project is expected to be approximately $1.98 billion, the partners said. Costs for the plant, excluding mine capital, are being equally shared by its owners – Capital Power, which led construction, and TransAlta, which will operate the plant.
The facility uses supercritical boiler technology, which features higher boiler temperatures and pressures, and a high-efficiency steam turbine. Because less fuel is used, the facility will emit approximately 24 per cent less carbon dioxide in producing the same amount of power previously generated by the Wabamun units fully retired by TransAlta in 2010.
An advanced air quality control system reduces emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides and mercury 60 to 80 per cent in comparison to the same amount of power produced by the Wabamun units. The facility also features a mercury emission control system, using activated carbon injection technology, and a high efficiency particulate collection system, using fabric filters (baghouse) to capture 99.9 per cent of particulate emissions.