Open house at plant Saturday
Lester Glantz
Atikokan Progress
Wednesday, December 4, 1985
A lone pipe led the dignitaries into the control room as members of the public, representatives from builders and suppliers and employees of Ontario Hydro looked on.
They were all gathered for the official opening of the Atikokan Generating Station, a culmination of many years of study and construction. “It is exactly 12 years and two months ago today, Sept. 27, 1973, that Ontario Hydro launched its program of selecting a site for a new thermal generating station in Northwestern Ontario,” said John Campbell, Chairman of Ontario Hydro, in his opening address.
Campbell noted that Atikokan is the first Ontario Hydro generating station project to have been planned with the guidance of the public participation program involving a committee of community leaders. “This station will help provide sufficient energy to meet the region’s significant growth potential through the 1980s and beyond,” said Vince Kerrio, Ontario Ministry of Energy.
The opening speeches included those of former Atikokan reeve, Dennis Brown and Jack Pierce, the MPP for Rainy River. The invocation was given by Riverview United Church Minister Steven Chambers.
Before the speeches Campbell and Kerrio simultaneously pressed two buttons which slowly raised the megawatt output of the generator toward its 200 megawatt limit. The generator actually reached over 200 megawatts.
Then Dennis Brown presented them a plaque on behalf of the Township of Atikokan that will hang in the control room of the station.
The $742 million, coal-fired station provides permanent employment to 55 and employed 1,000 during the construction phase.
The 200 megawatt output of the station exceeds the needs of the entire city of Thunder Bay which uses about 150 megawatts during the peak winter months.
As part of the commitment to the community, Ontario Hydro signed a Community Impact Agreement with the Township of Atikokan in order to insure the community financial assistance when needed in the event of the loss of any social or municipal services because of the construction. To date, more than $1.2 million has been contributed by hydro under the agreement.
Envirnment Protected
According to Ontario Hydro, a study which began in 1975 outlines the ways in which the Ministry of Environment and Ontario Hydro ensure the land, water, and air surrounding the station are protected.
Air monitoring will continue throughout the life of the station (approx. 30 years) to ensure emissions are minimized and that all existing air-quality regulations are met. Canadian lignite coal will be used in an effort to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions from combustion. Fly ash collection systems have also been installed to eliminate 99.5 per cent of fly ash particles from gases before they enter the chimney.
Water in the surrounding lakes will also be monitored to ensure it meets thermal regulation. Cool water, needed to condense steam from the turbine, will be pumped into the station from Moose Lake and discharged into Snow Lake. As the winter is discharged, it will be tested, and if necessary, mixed with cooler water, before being released back into the lake.
Rev. Steven Chambers, in his invocation prayer echoed the words of those concerned with the environment and the direction that modern technology is taking us.
“You, Oh God, help us to create the wonders of science and technology,” said Chambers. “You grant humanity the vision and the skills to create. You grant us also the responsibility to use technology wisely, with justice for all people, and for the good of all creation.”
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