OPG Decommissioning Nanticoke in Preparation for Solar Project
February 2, 2017
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has begun decommissioning the Nanticoke Generating Station site in advance of constructing a 44 MW solar facility.
Decommissioning the existing site, an undertaking by OPG and its partners Sun Edison Canadian Construction LP and Six Nations Development Corporation, involves removing numerous buildings, including the main powerhouse.
OPG estimates it will take about a year to remove and salvage equipment and materials from the powerhouse, where possible. Removal of the main buildings will not likely occur until 2018. However, smaller buildings and structures will be removed sometime this year.
The Nanticoke Solar Project is expected to begin generating power in in 2018-2019, and operate for 20 years. It’s possible the project could continue to operate for an additional 10 or more years.
Project components include installation of
- arrays of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with the cumulative capacity to generate up to 50 MW power, mounted to racking and anchored to the ground or foundation
- electrical inverters to convert DC electricity generated by the solar panels to AC
- intermediate step-up transformers, which will be connected to a main transformer prior to interconnection to the provincial grid
- electrical cables to connect all the panels and inverters and transformers
- site drainage and access roads
- weather stations
- security fencing
- temporary construction laydown area and facilities during construction
More than 99% of power generated by OPG is free of smog and greenhouse gas emissions.
