CLARINGTON — Clarington’s brand new energy-from-waste facility is going to be delayed a second time because the boilers aren’t operating correctly and the continuing startup period may cost Durham Region an extra $1 million.
“I would rather see it delayed and performed right than hurried,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster.
The Durham York Energy Centre centre, situated in Courtice, has been scheduled to be fully operational on Dec. 14, 2014. Currently the Durham York Energy Centre is not expected to be in full working order before the past quarter of 2015.
The significant systems of the EFW facility are analyzed. The boiler temperature is large enough to the combustion process however the steam temperature is not high enough, and officials aren’t certain what the issue is, says Durham’s works commissioner, Cliff Curtis.
The steam temperature needs to be large enough to drive the turbine-generator. If the steam is too trendy it may damage the turbine.
“It is like running a car with oil,” said Mr. Curtis.
Covanta, the company building and operating the facility for Durham and York regions, has taken the boilers down for alterations, based on Mr. Curtis. It is expected to take three weeks to the repairs and alterations. Afterward there’ll be a four-week presentation period, followed with a 30-day approval test.
“We’re not getting the temperature we expected out of this boiler. “It is Covanta’s difficulty to deliver us the product that plays the way they said, so they’re going to select the time they require.”
The delay means additional consultant costs for building management, legal advice and baseline ambient air monitoring. A Durham Region works report said Durham’s share of the extra costs is $1 million, which can be provided from a temporary draw the solid waste management reserve fund.
“What’s the last price going to look like?” “There are definitely issues with getting it started out”
Since Jan. 16, Durham has been charging Covanta a $10,000-a-day overdue fee for each and every day that the EFW facility is not fully operational. The bill has been delivered to Covanta, however, it hasn’t been paid yet, according to Mr. Curtis. It was a part of a testing phase before the centre opens fully.
Durham cancelled landfill contracts and started sending garbage into the Courtice centre. Some garbage was burnt in the EFW plant during the evaluation phase, without generating power to the grid. Covanta has also been sending the trash to its incinerator in New York state, or landfills in the Niagara area.
Until the EFW facility is ready to go, the Region only pays Covanta half price of the agreed upon per-tonne fee. But, Durham is not earning any money before the plant is fully operational and promoting power back on the grid.
“We’re still on funding.
The plant building is arriving in slightly under budget, according to the works commissioner.
There are a few loose ends that might end up costing Durham Region more money. There’s still disagreement with former property owners on the value of this property expropriated for the facility, and a ruling is not expected until fall of next year. The final price for the utility building and connection costs is expected in coming months. The baseline ambient air monitoring runs till the EFW facility is operational, so the delay in launching means a continuing monitoring price.
“There’s some small cost over-runs on a few of the smaller things but normally we are financially on track to bring this in on funding and we look forward to having it online at the end of the calendar year,” said Mr. Curtis. A vital part of the financial situation for your energy-from-waste facility depends on it generating electrical energy revenue.
HOW THIS IMPACTS YOU
The Durham York Energy Centre is designed to process up to 140,000 tonnes of waste each year, and generate 17.5 gross megawatts of renewable energy — enough to power between 10,000 and 12,000 homes. A key part of the economic case for the energy-from-waste facility depends on it generating electrical power revenue.
from: http://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/5682601-new-courtice-incinerator-hits-further-delays/
