VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced it has received notice of pending regulatory charges stemming from the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety’s investigation of the Feb. 11, 2019, dryer area explosion at its Entwistle, Alberta, wood pellet plant. The blast injured several employees and contractors, including one person who was hospitalized..

Pinnacle issued its press release in advance of a formal announcement by the Alberta OHS. The company said it has “cooperated fully with OHS, and other government agencies during the investigation to understand the unique circumstances leading up to the incident and continues to implement advances in equipment design and systems that ensure safe operations at Entwistle and across all of its facilities.”

Duncan Davies, CEO of Pinnacle, said, “The health and safety of our employees and contractors has always been an essential core value of our company and our business strategy. We regret the impact of this incident on those who were injured, their co-workers and the Entwistle community."

Pinnacle noted that the Entwistle plant resumed operations on March 29, 2019, following approval from OHS and local authorities.

Pinnacle is the world’s second largest manufacturer of wood pellets.