Greater Toronto Airports Authority - Cogeneration and Central Utilities Plant

In 2004, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) contracted with SNC-Lavalin to design, build, and operate a gas-powered co-generation plant intended to meet the present and future requirements of Pearson International Airport. The SNC-Lavalin O&M team is today responsible for operating and maintaining the GTAA’s Cogeneration Plant and Central Utilities Plant under a multi-year contract. SNC-Lavalin O&M also interacts with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in planning for the future delivery of surplus power to the high voltage distribution system serving Ontario. Depending on seasonal demand, the plant can be expected to deliver committed levels of power on very short notice.

As a result of the current instability of the electrical market, this project is driven by the needs of the GTAA to provide highly reliable power-generating infrastructure to support operations and sustain the development of the airport. The plant was a green-field project consisting of two gas-fired turbines and one steam turbine operating in a combined cycle to develop approximately 117 megawatts of electricity. The plant was built adjacent to the existing central utilities plant; a recently completed structure designed to provide hot and chilled water to a variety of airport buildings. During normal operations, a portion of the steam developed by the cogeneration plant will be directed to the Central Utilities Plant, where this steam will be used to generate either hot or chilled water in support of seasonal requirements.