Atikokan Generating Station approved for another five years of operation

The province has renewed the power agreement for the Atikokan Generating Station for another five years.

Owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the facility is the largest biomass-fuelled plant in North America, capable of generating 205 megawatts to the grid, which is used to power residential, commercial, and industrial users in the region, when needed.

Located 200 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, the plant employs 70 people, as well as hundreds more in forestry, transportation, and related industries.

The renewal is welcome news for Atikokan Mayor Rob Ferguson.

"Today’s announcement reaffirms the importance of the Atikokan Generating Station to our community and its role in Ontario’s clean energy future,” Ferguson said in a Sept. 13 news release.

“Ontario Power Generation’s use of biomass pellets, produced by local companies, creates jobs, strengthens our regional economy, and ensures sustainable energy production.

“Atikokan remains committed to fostering innovative energy solutions that ensure both a sustainable environment and continued economic vitality. We are proud of the role Atikokan plays in powering Ontario."

The renewed agreement between OPG and the Independent Electrical Systems Operator (IESO) — the Crown corporation that oversees Ontario’s electricity distribution — will not only preserve hundreds of jobs in the region, but also ensures a source of reliable, “green” energy, while encouraging economic development, the province said.

Originally a coal-burning facility, the Atikokan Generating Station was converted to biomass in 2014.

It burns 90,000 tonnes of wood pellets annually — the largest consumer of industrial wood pellets in Canada — putting to use wood scraps that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

Categorized as a “peaking plant,” the facility is used only during times of increased energy use, such as in the evenings, mornings, or during heat waves or cold spells.

The facility was put to the test in August 2021 during an extended heat wave in which it ran for 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a three-week period.