By Ragnar Haagen

Pulp mill delayed by 3 weeks

Jun 5, 2012 | 6:25 AM

Expected to be up and running by the middle of last month, it has now been learned that the Prince Albert Pulp Mill is almost three weeks behind schedule. The problem has nothing to do with the site or the machinery; it has to do with a lack of qualified workers.

“The reason we’re delayed is because we’ve had a difficult time hiring people,” explained Dale Patterson, General Manager for the mill.

“This would be people that are licensed for steam tickets to operate boilers.”

However, Patterson says the last of the workers has just been hired and they now expect to be online sometime between June 18 – 25 and will then begin producing and selling 10 mWs of power to Sask Power.

“We’re doing well on the equipment side; essentially all of the equipment is commissioned and ready to make power” said Patterson who added that they’ve spent close to $10-million since last November getting the site up and running.

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They have filled 42 positions and could potentially be looking to hire two or three more in the coming weeks.

“We’ve done really well at commissioning the people at the mill and the people that we’ve used in Prince Albert have done a great job,” said Patterson.

“We’re really happy with where we’re at and it was just the hiring of people that were delaying us .But in terms of the equipment and repairs and response to having repairs done, it’s gone really well.”

The date to begin production of dissolving pulp has not changed and is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2013.

rhaagen@panow.com