Moraine Power Generation Project - Comments Invited on the Summary of the Initial Project Description

What is happening?

OTTAWA, ON, May 18, 2023 /CNW/ - Moraine Initiatives Ltd. (the proponent) is proposing the Moraine Power Generation Project, a new natural gas-fired power plant located near Whitecourt, Alberta. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) invites the public and Indigenous Peoples to review the summary of the Initial Project Description and provide comments on the proposed project. This will help the Agency prepare a summary of issues for the proponent and decide whether the project should undergo an impact assessment. 

How can I participate?

Comments should be submitted online by visiting the project homepage on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (reference number 84591). The summary of the Initial Project Description is also available on the Registry. Participants who wish to provide their input in a different format can contact the Agency by writing to [email protected].

Submit your comments online in either official language by 11:59 p.m. on June 16, 2023. All comments received will be published online as part of the project file.

Participant funding will be available to eligible participants during this comment period and details will be announced shortly on the Registry. The Agency will retroactively reimburse eligible participants for their participation in this first comment period.

Virtual Information Sessions

The Agency invites the public and Indigenous Peoples to attend a virtual information session via Zoom to learn more about the project, the impact assessment process, and how to submit comments on the summary of the Initial Project Description. Please note French sessions can be offered upon request.

English Sessions

• May 30, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. MT
• June 1, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. MT

For information on how to attend a session, please visit the project homepage on the Registry. If you have any questions or wish to request a French information session, please contact the Agency using the project email above.

Will there be more opportunities to participate?

This is the first federal comment period for the project. If the Agency determines a federal impact assessment is required, the public and Indigenous Peoples will have additional opportunities to comment over the course of the impact assessment process.

Stay updated on this project by following the Agency on Twitter: @IAAC_AEIC #MorainePower

What is the proposed project?

Moraine Initiatives Ltd. is proposing the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a new natural gas-fired power plant, located near Whitecourt, Alberta. As proposed, the Moraine Power Generation Project would generate about 465 megawatts of electricity for the provincial grid. It would also include carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture technology, with captured CO₂ being transferred by a pipeline to an off-site carbon storage hub. Other project components would include a natural gas pipeline and a high-voltage electrical transmission line. The project is expected to operate for about 40 years.

SOURCE Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

For media inquiries, contact the Agency's media relations team by writing to [email protected], or by calling 343-549-3870.