New pellet plants will be constructed at the Chetwynd and Fort St. John Canfor sawmills, it was announced September 24.
According to a release, the total investment will be for $58 million. The two plants will have a combined annual production capacity of 175,000 tonnes of wood pellets. They are scheduled to start production in the second half of 2015.
It’s still unclear how many people Canfor expects to employ to construct these pellet plants, and how many people will be employed afterwards. Calls to Canfor were not immediately returned.
Wood pellets are a form of wood fuel generally made from compacted sawdust. When put into pellet stoves, they can create a heat source that proponents claim is green and natural.
The pellet plant construction is being done with the assistance of BC Hydro.
“This project will displace 19.1 gigawatt hours of Canfor’s electricity consumption per year for 20 years, with a positive impact on all BC Hydro customers,” said PowerSmart general manager Joanna Sofield. “This investment by Canfor is a great fit with PowerSmart’s Industrial Program.”
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