SaskPower’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility near Estevan has reached another milestone.
In a news release, SaskPower revealed the facility eclipsed more than three million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) - equivalent to taking 750,000 vehicles off the road. The milestone was achieved Monday morning.
In October 2014, the Boundary Dam Power Station became the first power station in the world to successfully use CCS technology.
“The CCS facility at Boundary Dam Power Station is an example of the kind of innovation needed to combat climate change,” said Dustin Duncan, the minister responsible for SaskPower. “CCS remains an important aspect of SaskPower’s long-term strategy to meet the growing demand for electricity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
SaskPower has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. It will achieve this target through increased use of renewable energy, as well as moving to lower-carbon forms of fuel such as natural gas and continuing to utilize CCS.
“As we increase our use of renewables such as hydro, wind and solar, we still need reliable baseload power. Boundary Dam Unit 3 continues to provide enough low-carbon electricity for 100,000 customers, 24 hours a day,” said Howard Matthews, SaskPower vice-president of power pProduction.
SaskPower has not had a single lost-time injury during construction or operation of the CCS facility, a period of more than eight years. A lost-time injury is defined as an injury or illness initiated in the workplace where resulting time off work extends past the day of the injury.
“Safety is our top priority, both for the public and for our own employees,” Matthews said. “We are proud to have achieved the this milestone without any significant injuries.”
Monthly reports on the CCS facility are published in the Mercury or Lifestyles, and on www.estevanmercury.ca.
