LAMBTON GENERATING STATION

Courtright, Ontario

Lambton Generating Station

CLIENT NAME

November 2020 – March 2023

PROJECT DATE

Government / Institutional

PROJECT CATEGORY

Abatement, Asset Recovery, Demolition, Recycling

PROJECT SERVICES

The project

The demolition materials are being processed and shipped off-site on a regular basis to licensed recycling or disposal facilities in accordance with the applicable regulations, while any concrete rubble is being crushed using a mobile crusher for reuse at the project site.

The structures included the remainder of the original powerhouse, which consisted of four (4) sections of the building, which housed the boilers. Each section had a footprint of 20,000 sq. ft. and a height of 220 ft. In addition, there were two (2), 175 ft. high selective catalytic reduction converters; two (2), 211 ft. high absorber buildings; three (3), 550 ft. high reinforced concrete stacks; as well as miscellaneous secondary buildings such as two (2) pumphouses and an administration building.

Delsan-A.I.M. is currently in the final stages of a major, multi-year project involving the demolition and removal of the remaining buildings, equipment, and above-ground structures at a former, partially demolished, coal-fired generating station located near the St. Clair River in Courtright, Ontario.

The decommissioning work entailed the removal and disposal of the remaining designated substances and hazardous materials, which took place over a nine (9) month period and included extensive asbestos abatement work and dust cleaning in the four (4) remaining boiler bays.

Delsan-A.I.M. arranged for the installation of construction elevators adjacent to each of these boiler bays to facilitate access for personnel as well as the removal of waste materials during the abatement work.

Prior to the commencement of demolition operations, Delsan-A.I.M. was required to permanently isolate the condenser circulating water (CCW) pipes and to install protection over the forebay and outfall channels that connect the St. Clair River to the station.

The river protection consisted of a custom designed cover to prevent dust and debris from entering the channels. In addition, the intakes to the pumphouses had to be properly isolated from the channels before these buildings could be demolished.

Upon completion of the decommissioning work and after months of planning and preparatory work, Delsan-A.I.M. utilized explosives to simultaneously demolish the following main structures: the boiler bays, the selective catalytic reduction converters along with the three (3) stacks in accordance with a detailed engineered blast plan to ensure the protection of not only the health and safety of the public and site personnel, but also the environment, existing infrastructures, and nearby neighbourhoods.

The explosive demolition work was scheduled to minimize any potential impact to aquatic life with respect to fish spawning as well as local and migratory bird nesting and wildlife breeding seasons. An exclusion zone was established, which was completely cordoned off during the blasting operation, to create a safe buffer to protect the public and site personnel from the immediate effects of the detonation of the explosives, the collapsing structures, and the resulting projected debris and dust.

In addition, meteorological restrictions were imposed with respect to wind speed and direction to ensure that any dust from the blasting operation would travel in a direction away from the public as well as neighboring properties including the St. Clair River. Other measures were implemented to protect on-site infrastructures, such as an operating switch yard, using strategically placed sea container and geotextile walls.