- Project
- Napanee Generating Station Expansion
- Owner
- Atura Power (OPG subsidiary)
- Location
- Greater Napanee, Ontario
- Plant
- Up to 405 MW simple-cycle gas turbine
- PPC scope
- Powder coating of large-diameter steel pipe
Project summary
Professional Powder Coating powder coated large-diameter steel pipe for the Napanee Generating Station Expansion, an Atura Power project adding a simple-cycle gas turbine of up to 405 MW beside the existing Napanee and Lennox generating stations on Lake Ontario. The pipe was prepared and coated in PPC's Toronto booth with automatic and manual electrostatic guns, then cured, inspected and protected for shipment.
The project
New Capacity for Ontario's Grid
Ontario is entering a period of rising electricity demand, nuclear refurbishments and expiring supply contracts. To secure new resources by 2028, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) ran its LT1 procurement, and Atura Power's Napanee expansion was awarded a contract in May 2024.
The expansion adds a simple-cycle gas turbine generator in the Town of Greater Napanee, north of the Lake Ontario shoreline. Peaking plants like this run when the grid needs fast, dispatchable power, so the steel that goes into them is expected to last through decades of lakeside weather and thermal cycling.
Dec 2023
Atura Power submits the expansion to the IESO's LT1 procurement.
Apr 2024
Category B Environmental Review initiated under O. Reg. 50/24.
May 2024
IESO awards the project an LT1 contract.
Oct 2025
Statement of Completion submitted to Ontario's MECP.
2026
Construction underway; PPC coats steel pipe at its Toronto facility.
2028
Target in-service year for new LT1 capacity.
Project milestones from Atura Power.
Inside the booth
Automatic Guns, Continuous Film
How it was coated
Automatic for Consistency, Manual for Coverage
A bank of automatic electrostatic guns on articulated mounts lays down powder along the pipe body, keeping gun distance and output steady over the full length. That repeatability is what keeps film build uniform on a long cylindrical part.
Operators follow with manual guns to reach transitions and ends, and to check coverage before the pipe moves to cure. Pairing both methods is how PPC handles parts too large for a single fixed gun setup.
From Bare Steel to Shipped Pipe
Step 1
Receive and review
Pipe is checked against drawings, the coating specification and any masking or end-treatment requirements.
Step 2
Prepare the surface
Abrasive blasting and cleaning bring the steel to the specified cleanliness and profile for powder adhesion.
Step 3
Apply powder
Automatic electrostatic guns deliver consistent film along the pipe body; operators use manual guns on transitions and for coverage checks.
Step 4
Cure
The coated pipe is cured to the powder manufacturer's time-and-temperature window for full film properties.
Step 5
Inspect
Film thickness, appearance and any project-specified tests are checked against acceptance criteria.
Step 6
Protect and ship
Finished pipe is supported and protected for loading and transport to the project.
PPC's standard sequence for large pipe. Exact preparation standards, powder system and tests are set by each project's specification.
What Power-Plant Pipe Asks of the Coater
Long, large-diameter geometry
Pipe of this size has a long continuous outer surface. Film build has to stay even from one end to the other, which is why the job pairs automatic guns for the main run with manual guns for coverage checks.
Preparation sets the ceiling
A powder film is only as good as the steel underneath it. Mill scale, rust and contaminants must be removed and the specified cleanliness and anchor profile achieved before powder is applied.
Ends, welds and interfaces
Pipe ends, weld zones and field-joint areas often need a defined treatment: coat, mask or leave bare for site welding. Those boundaries belong in the specification before the pipe reaches the booth.
Handling heavy coated pipe
Large pipe is lifted, rotated, cured and loaded several times. Lift points, supports and transport protection are planned so the cured finish arrives at site without contact damage.
Industries and Services Behind This Project
Pipe coating for power generation draws on the same preparation, application and inspection capability PPC uses across energy, oil and gas, and heavy industrial work.
Related industries
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Professional Powder Coating do for the Napanee Generating Station Expansion?
Professional Powder Coating (PPC) powder coated large-diameter steel pipe for the Napanee Generating Station Expansion in Greater Napanee, Ontario. The pipe was coated in PPC's Toronto spray booth using a combination of automatic and manual electrostatic powder guns.
What is the Napanee Generating Station Expansion?
It is an Atura Power project, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, that adds a simple-cycle natural gas turbine generator providing up to 405 MW to Ontario's grid. It sits between the existing Napanee Generating Station and Lennox Generating Station and was awarded an IESO LT1 contract in May 2024, with new LT1 capacity targeted for service by 2028.
Why powder coat steel pipe for a power plant?
Powder coating gives steel pipe a continuous, solvent-free protective film that resists corrosion, abrasion and weathering. For power generation sites, a durable factory-applied finish reduces field painting and long-term maintenance on exposed piping and structural steel.
Can PPC coat large-diameter or heavy pipe?
Yes. PPC operates a 75,000 sq. ft. facility in Toronto with heavy-project handling capability. Final suitability depends on pipe diameter, length, weight, lift points and cure-oven clearance, so share drawings and quantities for a review.
Does PPC offer fusion bond epoxy (FBE) for pipe?
PPC offers fusion bond epoxy and other protective powder systems. The right system for a pipe job depends on service temperature, burial or atmospheric exposure, UV and the owner's specification. This page does not state which powder chemistry was specified for Napanee.
What should I send PPC to quote a power-generation pipe coating job?
Send drawings, pipe diameter, wall thickness, lengths and quantities, the coating specification (system, film thickness, colour, testing), end and weld-zone treatment, surface-preparation standard, delivery schedule and site location.
Coating Pipe or Steel for an Energy Project?
PPC works with fabricators, mechanical contractors and EPC teams on generating stations, pipelines and industrial plants across Ontario and North America. Send drawings, pipe sizes and quantities, the coating specification and your delivery schedule for a project review.
Photographs and video supplied by PPC. Project background is drawn from Atura Power's public project page. This page does not claim an endorsement by Atura Power or Ontario Power Generation, and does not disclose contract value, quantities, the specified powder system or test results.