TransAlta to build 800MW plant near Edmonton
The company, which runs coal, gas and renewable power facilities in Canada, the United States and Australia, said it taken initial steps towards regulatory approval for the proposed Sundance 7 plant, filing an interconnection application with the Alberta Electric System Operator.
The new plant will replace coal-fired facilities that the Canadian government has ordered phased out to cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
Dawn Farrell, the company's chief operating officer, said during an investor presentation that she expects the government will offer some compensation to coal-fired plant owners because of the planned new rule and TransAlta would use the money to build the new facility.
"TransAlta has begun preliminary engineering, design and environmental work to allow TransAlta to reinvest these recovered costs to build a state-of-the-art... natural gas power plant."
Farrell said the new plant, which would be the largest gas-fired facility owned by the company, could take advantage of infrastructure already in place at the site 70 km 43 miles west of Edmonton, where its coal-fired facilities produce 2,100 megawatts of electricity.
The cost of the planned Sundance 7 plant was not disclosed.
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Nova Scotia can't order electric utility to lower power rates, minister says
HALIFAX - The province can't ask Nova Scotia Power to lower its rates to ease the financial pressure on out-of-work residents because it lacks the authority to take that kind of action, the provincial energy minister said Thursday.
Derek Mombourquette said he is in "constant contact" with the privately owned utility.
"The conversations are ongoing with Nova Scotia Power," he said after a cabinet meeting.
When asked if the Liberal government would order the utility to lower electricity rates as households and businesses struggle with the financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, Mombourquette said there was nothing he could do.
"We don't have the…
