G-P installs boiler at Maine tissue mill

Georgia-Pacific Corp. is installing a biomass boiler at its Old Town, Maine, tissue mill in order to save a projected $5.9 million in energy costs a year. The mill's current energy source is a recovery boiler, which is supplemented by outside energy. The new biomass boiler will eliminate the need to buy energy, a G-P spokesperson said. But the recovery boiler will continue to run after the biomass boiler is installed.

The first testing of the project was expected to be conducted during first part of February. The mill has 90,000 tpy in capacity for tissue and 190,000 tpy for hardwood market pulp. The mill houses nine tissue converting lines, two tissue machines, and a single pulp dryer, and produces the company's Vanity Fair and Quilted Northern tissue brands.

Installation of the equipment is scheduled for completion in March. No downtime is required to finish the installation, the spokesperson said. G-P bought the biomass boiler, which was built in 1986, from Boralex Inc. last May. The project is part of a three-way deal, involving the state of Maine, G-P, and Casella Waste Systems.