Capital Power Corp., based in Edmonton, has discontinued its $2.4-billion carbon capture and storage project at the Genesee natural gas-fired power plant. After assessing the project’s technical feasibility and economic viability, the company determined that the project was not financially viable at this time. However, Capital Power remains committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and may explore carbon capture and storage options in the future if economic conditions improve. Alberta’s electricity grid relies heavily on natural gas, and experts believe that offsetting these emissions will require a combination of wind, solar, hydrogen, nuclear power in the form of small modular reactors, and carbon capture and storage. Capital Power and Ontario Power Generation are collaborating to evaluate the feasibility of developing small modular nuclear reactors to power Alberta’s electricity grid. Their feasibility assessment will focus on potential ownership and operating structures for a fleet of grid-scale SMRs in Alberta and is expected to take two years to complete. Environmental Defence, an activist group, has criticized the decision to terminate the carbon capture project, citing its poor track record and urging governments to prioritize investments in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. The Alberta Court of Appeal recently dismissed a request for compensation from Altius Royalty Corp., which owns the Genesee coal mine that supplies the Genesee power plant, over government policies phasing out coal power. Altius Royalty Corp. argued that the federal and provincial governments’ actions constituted expropriation and sought $190 million in compensation. With files from Karen Bartko, Global News
Capital Power Abandons Carbon Capture Project at Genesee Plant
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