Green-power project to be developed.

• Position: Around the North

Thunder Bay Hydro and Lakehead University have partnered to develop a combined heat and power (CHP) project, which will provide more efficient energy use for several major power users in the city.

The CHP project will expand the university's existing power house to include a 5.5 (megawatt) turbine generator fueled by natural gas. A new distribution system to provide steam and hot water heating to a number of buildings in the vicinity of the Lakehead University campus, including the city's Pioneer Ridge Home for the Aged is also part of the project.

The availability of district heating through the university's power house will provide an incentive for construction of new facilities on campus as well as in the vicinity of the University.

"Combining the generation of heat and power in one facility will result in higher efficiency and better control of energy costs in university and city buildings," says Rene Larson, chair of the board of directors of Thunder Bay Hydro. "We expect this project to be a model for CHP plants elsewhere throughout Thunder Bay and the region as well."

John Baird, Ontario's Minister of Energy, says that the government classifies this type of project, using clean gasfired combined-cycle gas turbine power plants, as green power. "While protecting consumers, we must continue to build up the supply of clean energy in Ontario," says Baird. "Some of this...