Press Release

GE Helps Maxim Power Corp Safely Switch from Coal-to-Gas Power to Support Canada’s Coal Phase-Out Plan

  • Maxim Power’s (“Maxim”) Milner Power II power plant is currently the largest simple cycle natural gas-fired unit in Alberta. Maxim’s transition to natural gas marks a significant milestone in Alberta and Canada’s efforts towards decarbonization through coal-to-gas transition.
  • GE worked closely with Maxim Power to upgrade and support the installation of a GE 7F.05 gas turbine, held previously in storage, which powers a GE H35 generator.
  • GE’s DLN2.6+ combustion system upgrade improved the flexibility of the gas turbine and produces NOx emissions at a rate of less than 9 ppm to help successfully meet operational and environmental requirements.
  • GE and Maxim teams worked in an unseasonably wet summer construction season, harsh winter weather and strict COVID-19 preventative measures to achieve safe completion of the project.

CALGARY, ALBERTA-  October 26, 2020 –  The Province of Alberta in Canada is in the process of moving away from coal-powered electricity generation, and Maxim Power Corp.(TSX: MXG), one of Canada’s largest independent power producers, turned to GE to provide expert support for its Milner II power plant to ensure the success of its decision to re-power the coal facility using natural gas. GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that Maxim Power’s M II 204 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired power plant is safely and successfully delivering power to the Alberta grid near Grand Cache, Alberta using natural gas, which provides electricity with less than 50% of the emissions of a coal-fired facility. For this project, GE provided relocation support with a DLN2.6+ upgrade and secured a contractual services agreement for the GE 7F.05 gas turbine.

“Canada is part of the international community moving toward a decarbonized future, with Alberta committed to a phase-out of coal power by 2030” said Bob Emmott, President and Chief Operating Officer of Maxim Power Corp. “We were faced with the reality of shuttering the facility or re-powering it with natural gas – the cleanest burning fossil fuel, emitting less than half the CO2 of a coal plant, significantly lower nitrous oxides and particulate matter, no mercury, and essentially no sulfur oxides – and we decided to turn to GE to help us transition the facility to natural gas. GE helped us solve our most pressing power generation challenges, such as, the upgrade and maintenance of a GE gas turbine that we purchased from a third party andsat in storage, unused, for eight years near a copper mine in the Northern part of the United States.  We know that GE has the level of experience needed to deliver reliable and sustainable power under any condition.”

The relocation project included the task of moving the massive turbine from the United States to Alberta and the modernization of the existing combustion system with GE’s DLN2.6+ technology to address local fuel gas qualities, improve plant efficiency and reduce its environmental footprint to meet Canadian and local government specifications and standards.

“In North America, energy usage has been changing for many years: as the availability of natural gas and renewables has increased, and the use of coal has declined,” said Eric Gray, Vice President for Americas region, GE Gas Power.  “Alberta is implementing a broad coal phase-out plan and we are honored to support power plant operators, like Maxim Power, to embrace the flexibility gas technology offers to complement renewables including solar and wind. Gas’ flexibility and efficiency compliments renewable energy as it balances electric system loads and helps maintain grid reliability”.

GE supported Maxim to safely deliver commercial operation through global pandemic and harsh weather.

During transport of the power generation equipment, GE and FieldCore – the field services company owned by GE – faced enormous challenges presented by record torrential rainfall, extreme cold temperatures reaching -40 degrees F, and the COVID-19 global pandemic. Engineers from GE and FieldCore worked together and in close co-operation with Maxim Power experts to quickly implement an array of safety measures including more frequent disinfections at the site, mandatory face masks, consistent personnel temperature monitoring, and strictly enforced social distancing to ensure employee safety and achieve safe completion of the project. Today, the Milner II power plant produces the equivalent of electricity consumed by approximately 208,000 Canadian households.

About Maxim Power Corp
About MAXIM Based in Calgary, Alberta, MAXIM is one of Canada’s largest truly independent power producers. MAXIM is now focused entirely on power projects in Alberta. Its core asset – the 204 MW H.R. Milner Plant “M2”in Grande Cache, AB – is a state-of-the-art natural gas-fired power plant that commissioned in Q2, 2020. MAXIM has the option to increase the capacity of M2 to approximately 300 MW and concurrently realize an improvement in the efficiency of the plant by investing in heat recovery combined cycle technology. In addition, MAXIM continues to explore additional development options in Alberta including its currently permitted gas-fired generation project and the permitting of its wind power generation project. For more information about MAXIM, visit our website at www.maximpowercorp.com.

About GE Gas Power
GE Gas Power is a world leader in natural gas power technology, services, and solutions. Through relentless innovation and continuous partnership with our customers, we are providing more advanced, cleaner and efficient power that people depend on today and building the energy technologies of the future. With the world’s largest installed base of gas turbines and more than 600 million operating hours across GE’s installed fleet, we offer advanced technology and a level of experience that’s unmatched in the industry to build, operate, and maintain leading gas power plants. For more information, please visit www.ge.com/power/gas and follow GE’s gas power businesses on Twitter and LinkedIn.