Introduction

Proponent

Atlantic Power Limited Partnership

Location

Highway 11 N, 30 km west of Hearst

Type

Waste management

Reference Number

14129

Contact

Andrew Evers, Environmental Approvals Branch, 416-314-7213
Toll free 1-800-461-6290

Current Status

Terms of reference: approved, November 26, 2015

Project Summary

Atlantic Power Limited Partnership (APLP) is currently determining the best solution for long-term management of the ash generated from biomass combustion at the Calstock Power Plant.

Project History

  • Terms of reference: approved
    • Date submitted: January 23, 2015
    • Expiry of public comment period: February 23, 2015
    • Decision date: November 26, 2015

Terms of Reference

Atlantic Power Limited Partnership submitted a Terms of Reference (ToR) that outlines the proposed scope of work for the Individual Environmental Assessment (EA) for a new waste disposal site at the Calstock Power Plant (the "Plant"). The ToR was approved by the Minister on November 26, 2015. The approved ToR will serve as a framework for carrying out public consultation, preparing, and reviewing of the EA for the proposed undertaking in accordance with subsection 6(2)(c) and 6.1(3) of the EAA.

The Calstock Power Plant was originally built in 2000 to address biomass problems experienced by local saw mills. The saw mills generate excess wood waste and debris (biomass) which cannot be incorporated into their product line. To manage this waste, the biomass is burned at the Plant to generate electricity, which is then sold to the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation. To date, residual wood ash from the combustion process has been disposed of in the landfill located on-site, which is operated under Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Environmental Compliance Approval number 6508-53KPWK. There are four (4) ash landfill cells and APLP is in the process of filling the last available cell (Cell 4). The maximum capacity of Cell 4 is expected to be exhausted by 2018 at which point APLP will be looking for an alternative solution for their disposal of ash.

Two sites are currently under consideration by APLP for the construction of a new landfill. One site is located within Crown land located north of the Plant, approximately 53 hectares in size. The other site is within the existing Hearst Municipal Landfill property located along the east side of Highway 583 North on Lots 22, 23 and 24, Concession 12 in Kendall Township, approximately 2 km north of Hearst, Ontario. The purpose of the Individual EA is to identify a long-term solution for the disposal of approximately 475,000 cubic metres of ash after the last available cell on site reaches capacity.