City flaring at Unit 17 generation site Friday (Photo 3694381 © Mtphotostock | Dreamstime.com)

By Brian Konrad

Gas flare to burn over Box Springs Friday morning

Feb 24, 2022 | 12:06 PM

MEDICINE HAT — There was a time in this city’s history when gas flaring was done to impress visitors, but a flare that will burn over Box Springs on Friday is being done with another purpose.

As part of the process of commissioning the new Unit 17 power generation plant , the city will be flaring gas Friday morning.

The flaring is done to remove any residuals left over from construction, including pipe filings and slag.

Boyd Mostoway, Interim Director with Medicine Hat Power and Water says the flare will send flames high into the air over Box Springs.

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After a temporary 100 foot tall flue stack is installed today, Mostoway says the flaring will begin shortly after 8 Friday morning.

“You’ll get a flare that’s about 30 to 40 feet of flame on top of that flue stack,” explains Mostoway.

“It’ll have a little bit of noise with it but you’d have to be very localized to hear it; if you were standing on the road outside the site you would hear the flames and you may feel a little bit of the heat in there but it won’t be too much as it’s cool outside right now,” says Mostoway.

Residents and businesses in the area have been contacted about the flaring and local fire departments have also been notified.

The flaring is scheduled to take place between 8 and 11 am on Friday and will be similar to what was done at the Unit 16 generation site in 2017.