The Northern Pulp mill located in Abercrombie Point, Nova Scotia is planning a 15-day maintenance shutdown on May 30th, to install a new electrostatic precipitator. But the mill’s general manager, Bruce Chapman, has said it will not restart until the precipitator is operational, which could be in late June or early July. The new equipment is necessary to meet the air pollution reductions required by the mill’s new operating permits. He stated, “This new unit will meet present, as well as future, Canada-wide environmental standards.”
The maintenance shutdown will also include several other projects. Boiler inspections and repairs are expected to cost $1.5 million CAD, and $500,000 each has been budgeted for digester repairs, pulp machine roll changes and pump replacements. Another $400,000 will be spent on steel repairs and inspections of critical equipment, valves, tanks and pipes.