Because energy management is a key factor in the profitability of any remote mine, Agnico Eagle faced reliability and efficiency issues at its Meadowbank cogeneration plant in Nunavut, which led to higher fuel consumption than necessary.
Awards and RecognitionThe solutions brought forward by our experts helped optimize the mine’s cogeneration plant, which led to a significant drop in operating costs.
BBA’s recommended approach was based on a three-pronged strategy: stabilize electrical power generation, optimize plant efficiency and review asset management. One of the strategic drivers was to increase motor capacity to operate at higher speeds and increase reliability.
The result: plant downtime decreased from 15 hours to fewer than 2 hours per year, which led to a revenue increase of $500,000. Finally, better synchronization of the building’s heating system and the heat recovery system resulted in an additional savings of $900,000 in diesel fuel per year.
One of the reasons this project was successful was because of the close collaboration between Agnico Eagle and BBA throughout the mandate. BBA’s continued effort to share knowledge with operational personnel not only achieved impressive results, but ensured these results would be sustainable. The plant maintains its performance year after year.