Emergency response exercise simulates aqueous ammonia leak at Unit 17 power plant

By ZOE MASON on September 13, 2025.

zmason@medicinehatnews.com

On Friday morning, the City of Medicine Hat undertook an emergency response exercise at one of its power generation units.

Unit 17 is the newest power generation plant in Medicine Hat, added to the city’s fleet of natural gas powered generators in May 2022.

“There’s some hazardous materials on site, so as such, we are legislated to do exercises every year, and then a full-scale exercise every five years,” Trampus Brown, manager of emergency management with the city, told the News.

The exercise simulated a scenario in which a valve broke on a tank containing aqueous ammonia. Contact with aqueous ammonia can cause burns to the skin and respiratory irritation.

The exercise was attended by the Medicine Hat Fire Department, Cypress County Fire and 911 in addition to the power plant personnel and the city emergency management team.

“The nice thing about exercises like this is it allows multiple people to exercise things,” said Brown.

Power plant employees, 911 and fire brought their own objectives to the exercise.

“Everybody got to play and test some systems and see what worked and what we can improve on,” said Brown.

Brown described the exercise as a success for all participants.

11
-10