Detailed engineering of the cogeneration plant for a major gold project
Owned by Agnico Eagle, the Meliadine mining site is in Nunavut and isolated from the rest of Canada; it can only be accessed by boat or by plane. It has been one of the largest mining projects in Canada since 2015. A cogeneration plant had to be developed to power the site.
Awards and Recognition- Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards - 2020 Award of Excellence
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BBA was mandated to carry out the detailed engineering for the 28 MW cogeneration plant as well as the site’s thermal and electrical systems. The firm also carried out the construction management and commissioning of the installations, thus delivering a complete and entirely functional system.
The 720 rpm generators and optimal design of the heat recovery system make it possible to have an estimated energy efficiency of 80%. Up to 24 MW of thermal energy can be recovered and used to heat all buildings at the main Meliadine site and provide much of the thermal energy required to heat the underground mine.
Other mandates carried out at the site include:- Design and commissioning of the 8 MW diesel power plant used during the mining site construction and development. This plant will serve as backup for the main power plant.
- Technical support at the site while the electrical system for the underground mine was being developed.
- Tests of all electrical equipment, including those for the ore processing plant.
- Protection and arc flash study for the entire site, including the underground mine system.
- Technical assistance to manage environmental water at the site.
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In addition to respecting established budgets, the AEM and BBA team was able to start the power plant on schedule and on budget, to the client’s great satisfaction.
Daniel Séguin P. Eng., Engineering and Commissioning Manager -
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720 rpm generators
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80% Heat recovery system energy efficiency of 80%
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