
The Alberta Utilities Commission on Sept. 22 approved a May 25 application from Apache Canada Ltd. to construct and operate a 66-MW power plant within the Wapiti Sour Gas Plant.
Said the Sept. 22 order: “After consideration of the record of the proceeding, and for the reasons outlined in this decision, the Commission finds that approval of the project is in the public interest having regard to the social, economic, and other effects of the project, including its effect on the environment.”
The Wapiti Sour Gas Plant is located approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Grande Prairie. Apache said this proposed power plant would consist of two 33-MW Siemens SGT-700 gas turbine generators for a total on-site generating capability of 66 MW. Apache stated the power plant would also contain a third 33-MW Siemens SGT-700 gas turbine generator as a backup unit, and two 1.1-MW Caterpillar 3512A natural gas generators as emergency generating units.
Apache stated the electric energy would be used solely by Apache and would not be connected to the Alberta Interconnected Electric System. The power plant project would be situated within Apache’s proposed Wapiti Sour Gas Plant, and represents a small component of the entire project.