FORT FRANCES—The Times received unconfirmed reports Tuesday that Abitibi-Consolidated’s board of directors has approved the bio-mass boiler project for its Fort Frances mill.
Natural Resources minister David Ramsay has confirmed, however, that he will be here Thursday at 10 a.m. to make an important local forestry announcement.
He will be joined by senior executives from Abitibi.
As previously reported, the $84.3-million bio-mass boiler will enable the mill to use waste wood to produce steam and electricity without using natural gas, saving the company considerable money and ensuring the mill’s viability.
The resulting energy savings will make the local mill Abitibi’s lowest cost producers of glossy and high-bright grades.
A timeline revealed by local mill management two weeks ago showed the next step will be the ordering of boiler components from a vendor and the hiring of an engineer this spring.
Final approval of property rezoning goes before the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs in June. If that happens, construction of the foundation will begin.
Construction of the steel framework of the bio-mass boiler building will get underway in September, in anticipation of the boiler parts arriving next March (there will be no winter construction on the site).
This will be followed by an intense period of construction on the boiler, with a completion date of October, 2008.
The bio-mass boiler building would be situated at the south end of Portage Avenue, across from the jail. Portage Avenue—from Nelson to Sinclair—would be closed off.
At a special meeting on Friday, town council approved applications to amend the town’s official plan as well as a zoning bylaw to permit such a facility to be built.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
