The Burrard Generating Station is a 950 MW conventional natural gas-fired generating station. The largest thermal facility in BC Hydro’s fleet, it is possibly the utility’s most technically complex operation. It plays an important role to provide back-up for the hydroelectric system during low water years, and also to provide transmission support and electrical supply security for the Lower Mainland.

Burrard has been upgraded and modernized. Improvements have been made to reduce the emission of smog-forming pollutants, to eliminate chlorine from the cooling water, to use a modern Digital Control System, to improve thermal efficiency, to reduce greenhouse gases, to provide oil spill  containment, and to reduce noise at the facility. In 2009, the Provincial Government instructed BC Hydro to remove Burrard Thermal from its baseline supply of power.

This tour is an opportunity for engineers to learn what this means operationally, and to view the many recent modernizations at the plant.

Information:
Control Systems chair
Ryozo Nagamune
nagamune at mech.ubc.ca
Registration by email is required for this event