Clover Bar Energy Centre Bringing Cleaner Power to Alberta Ahead of Schedule

EDMONTON , Jan. 20 /CNW/ - Capital Power's 243 megawatts (MW) Clover Bar Energy Centre is now at full capacity with the commissioning of the third and final natural gas turbine at the site. The completion of the facility is well ahead of the original third quarter, 2010 commissioning date.

"This addition to the Clover Bar Energy Centre expands Capital Power's peaking capacity and can deliver power to the market on demand within ten minutes," said Brian Vaasjo, President and CEO of Capital Power Corporation. "The rapid availability is important to the stability of the grid as the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has seen two records set for peak electricity demand already this winter."

The AESO predicts that peak power demand will increase by three per cent a year over the next 20 years.

The Clover Bar Energy Centre can dispatch 243 MW of power to the Alberta grid during peak demand periods. The facility consists of one 43 MW General Electric LM 6000 turbine, and two General Electric 100 MW LMS 100 turbines.

The energy centre is located on the east side of the North Saskatchewan River on the same site as the former Clover Bar Generating Station. The original plant had four units, each with the capacity to generate 165 MW for a total capacity of 660 MW. The old generating station has been dismantled.

"As Alberta leads the nation out of the recession, this project is significant for the confidence that Capital Power is showing in Alberta's growth potential," said Diana McQueen, parliamentary assistant to Energy Minister Ron Liepert. "This project also produces demonstrably cleaner energy, one of three cornerstones of our Provincial Energy Strategy."

"The new facility's environmental footprint is reduced as the high-efficiency units use 85% less water and produce about 70% less nitrogen oxides per megawatt hour (MWh) than the old Clover Bar Generation Station," said Vaasjo. "The 100 MW units incorporate the latest gas-fired technology which can reduce CO(2) emissions by more than 30,000 tonnes, which is equivalent to taking 5,000 passenger cars a year off the road."

The 43 MW LM 6000 was commissioned in March 2008 . The first of the two 100 MW LMS 100 units was commissioned in September 2009 and the second LMS 100 was operational in December, completing the facility.

About Capital Power

Capital Power is a growth-oriented North American independent power producer, building on more than a century of innovation and reliable performance. The company's vision is to be recognized as one of North America's most respected, reliable and competitive power generators. Headquartered in Edmonton , Alberta, Capital Power has interests in 31 facilities in Canada and the U.S. totaling approximately 3,500 megawatts of generation capacity. Capital Power and its subsidiaries develop, acquire and optimize power generation from a wide range of energy sources. The company's web site can be accessed at www.capitalpower.com online.

For further information: Mike Long, Capital Power Corporation, [phone] (o), [phone] (c), [email protected]