(File photo/paNOW)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Pulp Mill Update

P.A. pulp mill nearly fully winterized, one step closer to restarting

May 4, 2022 | 5:10 PM

The Prince Albert pulp mill is taking another step towards officially restarting.

Paper Excellence, which purchased the defunct mill back in 2011, announced on Tuesday the site is nearly winterized.

Once completed, the inside of the mill will be heated for the first time since 2014.

“As we all know, Prince Albert winters can be very cold, so being able to heat the interior of the mill means a safer working environment for our team and contractors that may be on-site with us,” said Carlo Dal Monte, VP of Energy and Business Development for Paper Excellence.

Winterizing the mill is also expected to help prevent weather-related damage to the outside of the mill. The overall project is slated to cost around $500,000.

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This latest step comes a few months after the province announced over 1,000,000 m³ of softwood timber would be allocated to the mill.

One of the other steps needed before the mill can officially reopen is an environmental assessment which is expected to be done in the coming months.

“This project will support Saskatchewan’s world-class, sustainable forestry sector and create economic opportunities in the north, including over 1,650 new jobs,” added Dal Monte.

The project is still subject to market conditions and permit approvals, while Paper Excellence continues to aim for the site to be operational by late 2023, or early 2024.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow