The objective of Millar Western’s Refiner Plate Energy Savings Project was to identify ways to reduce refiner energy consumption in Millar Western’s bleached-chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp (BCTMP) mill in Whitecourt, Alberta, without negatively affecting production capacity or product quality. In the BCTMP manufacturing process, pulp production is achieved through a conventional refining configuration consisting of two primary refiners feeding one secondary refiner. After assessing various ways to lower energy requirements for the BCTMP process, Millar Western focused on opportunities provided by different refiner-plate designs. The project team tested nine plates from three different plate suppliers over a two-year period, before selecting the design most compatible with its objectives. The plate design featured a larger surface area and different feed angles, which significantly improved the mill’s energy efficiency. This new design also offered opportunities to experiment with new process configurations and achieve further energy savings.