SNC-Lavalin designing Boundary Dam carbon capture project

SNC-Lavalin is providing detailed engineering, procurement and construction services for SaskPower at the Boundary Dam carbon capture demonstration project in Saskatchewan. The government of Saskatchewan approved construction of the demonstration project in April.

The $1.24 billion project is one of the first commercial-scale carbon capture and storage facilities in the world and will transform Unit 3 (built in 1987) at the coal-fired Boundary Dam Power Station near Estevan. The project is intended to determine the technical, economic and environmental performance of carbon capture and storage technology.

Cansolv, a subsidiary of Shell, will supply the carbon capture process and Hitachi is supplying a steam turbine. The Canadian government has provided $240 million towards the project.

The revamped plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2014, when it is expected to generate 110 MW of clean power. The operation is also designed to capture one million tonnes of carbon dioxide, as well as capturing sulphur dioxide for producing sulphuric acid.