Representatives of Epoch Energy returned to Hinton to present their final pre-Front End Engineering Design (pre-FEED) report to council at the standing committee meeting on May 23.
The report indicates that the proposed district energy system powered by a geothermal source for 12 buildings within the town could be economically viable if it were to go forward.
With an estimated output of 75,000 Gigajoules, the project would have a 16-year payback and an internal rate of return of five per cent.
The report said the “Hinton advantage” is the extensive gas and oil drilling that has already taken place, meaning existing wells can be retrofitted rather than new wells drilled.
