The Power of Wastewater - Micro Hydro Turbine at the Clarkson Wastewater Treatment Plant

The Regional Municipality of Peel (Region) is one of the largest municipalities in Canada, with a population of 1.3 million residents, and owns the G.E. Booth (Lakeview) and Clarkson Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP), both operated under contract by the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA). The Clarkson WWTP is a conventional activated sludge plant that has been recently upgraded to a rated capacity of 350 ML/D (92.5 MG/D). A new outfall system was completed in 2009. The effluent flows into the deep outfall shaft at the end of the treatment process, and a feasibility study carried out in 2010 determined that the deep drop could be utilized to generate approximately 1,100 MWh/year of electricity. The Region of Peel has made it a priority to manage the modern energy needs, and the addition of a micro-hydro turbine was deemed to be both economically viable and sustainable with zero greenhouse gases increase. This paper outlines other several key features of the micro hydro turbine project including equipment selection, innovative structural and controls design, and construction, commissioning and operational challenges.