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We are proud to share that ONEC has recently completed our sixth coal-to-gas conversion project for our client, Fossil Power Systems Inc., at TransAlta’s Keephills Power Plant – Unit 2 with over 100,000 man-hours executed and zero recordable safety incidents.
This project began in 2019 when our geomatics and survey team completed 3D scans and surveying before passing the baton on our engineering team. Our engineers designed the 16” underground gas line to the Keephills Unit 2 building, as well as the piping, electrical, and structural steel around the boiler itself. Construction started on site in June of 2020, ramping up to the outage beginning March 2021 with ONEC’s scaffolding teams alongside too.
Working alongside 700 other contractor personnel, the 100-strong ONEC coal-to-gas conversion construction workforce executed a challenging scope inside a tight seven-week shutdown. We installed 20 skids and over 2.5km of pipe woven through existing tight spaces around the former coal-fired boiler. We performed hydro testing and pneumatic testing on new and existing pipe alike while ensuring that safety and COVID-related protocols were followed.
The first firing of the boiler took place in May 2021, bringing this challenging yet satisfying project to a close.
When asked about the performance of ONEC’s multidiscipline teams, Fossil Power Systems Inc. had this to say:
“This project has been a complete success. The fact that we executed the entire project during the COVID-19 pandemic while on an identified Outbreak Site makes has made this even more impressive.”
This project was an extensive team effort, and we would like to thank all the core project staff, expert resources, suppliers, and stakeholders for their hard work and diligence in the safe and timely completion of this project.
Looking to the future, coal-to-gas projects like this will only become more prevalent as energy providers seek to reduce emissions. At ONEC, we are poised and ready to build on our existing expertise and continue improving our business partners’ industrial facilities through effective project delivery, maintenance, and innovation.
We look forward to working with Fossil Power Systems Inc. again and hope to share more project success stories soon!