More retrofits for carbon capture and storage at Boundary Dam: SaskPower

REGINA – SaskPower says there will be no other renovations to allow for carbon capture and storage at a dam site in southeastern Saskatchewan.

Technology was introduced with fanfare for $ 1.5 billion to Boundary Dam. October 2014

The goal was to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the coal plant by one million tons per year.

Dustin Duncan, minister responsible for SaskPower, owned by the state, said several factors had prompted units 4 and 5 of the Estevan plant for what is called commonly CCS.

Duncan says that one of the reasons is that the units reach the closure imposed by the federal government and that it is illogical to invest a lot of money when natural gas [19659002] He also notes that the federal government is not helping to finance carbon capture technology in units, which must be phased out by 2024.

He says that a study is Ongoing to see if the S "Low natural gas prices are an important factor in this decision," Duncan said at SaskPower's annual meeting on Monday

.

SaskPower President and CEO Mike Marsh had already indicated last November that the Crown would likely not support more carbon capture and storage projects because of costs. [19659002Lechefdel'oppositiondelaSaskatchewanRyanMeiliadéclaréquec'étaitlabonnedécisionmaisilalaisséentendrequelemanqued'investissementsdugouvernementdanslesénergiesrenouvelablesl'avaitplacédanscetteposition"Ilasoulignéquelegouvernementdoitconclureunaccordd'équivalencesurlesémissionsdecarboneavecOttawaouquelesunitésdubarragedeBoundarydevront"

"Whether because of the way they handled the relationship with the federal government or decisions we do not receive an answer to an equivalency agreement, "said the NDP leader.

Duncan does not know why the federal Minister of the Environment, Catherine McKenna, is reluctant to sign an agreement with Saskatchewan, whose carbon reduction goal is 40%.

The capture and storage of carbon dioxide and transports it to a storage site where it is usually buried, so that it is not released into the atmosphere.

SaskPower had to pay $ 7.3 million in penalties to Cenovus Energy in 2015 because the Estevan plant was not working enough. deliver all the carbon dioxide captured promised to Cenovus for use in enhanced oil recovery.

The Boundary Dam has been forced offline several times this year due to technical and mechanical problems.

Premier Brad Wall presented Saskatchewan's carbon capture and storage technology at an international conference on climate change in 2015.

(CJME, The Canadian Press)

Company: Cenovus Energy (TSX: CVE)