TGC-1 business is directly related to the use of natural resources and environmental impact, therefore it carries out its production activities with full responsibility for environmental reservation and safety by ensuring reliable and environmentally-friendly power generation, transmission and distribution, complex approach to natural energy resources usage. The Company draws up and implements an annual plan of environment protection measures targeted at preserving the environment and fulfilling the requirements of the environment protection regulations of the Russian Federation. Furthermore, the Company has an environmental policy approved by the Board of Directors on 5 June 2007. With that, the Company undertakes to continuously reduce negative environmental impact by implementing first priority environmental measures:
- construction and commissioning of high-efficient CCGT-units with up-to-date low-emission incineration chambers of gas turbines to reduce nitrogen oxide and greenhouse gases emissions;
- construction of reverse water supply systems at the thermal power plans to reduce wastewater discharge in water sources and thermal pollution of surface waters;
- refurbishment of heating grids with application of new thermal insulation materials which reduce heat losses more than two times, thus, minimizing thermal air pollution and pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions;
- refurbishment and retrofit of hydro turbine equipment using new environmentally-friendly constructions to eliminate pollutants discharge during normal operation and in emergency situations;
- construction of new and refurbishment of existing wastewater treatment facilities to eliminate pollutants discharge in surface waters;
- installing fish protecting screens at water intake to prevent negative impact on wildlife.
11.2. Creating a system of ecological management
At the beginning of 2008, following the results of an open contest conducted on B2B-energo website, the Company selected an executor for elaboration and implementation of the system of ecological management (SEM) within TGC-1.
Three structural subdivisions of the Company were chosen as pilot project sites for implementation of SEM: Yuzhnaya CHPP, Vuoksinskie HPPs Cascade and Heating Grid enterprise of Nevsky Branch.
During 2008, the consulting company conducted diagnostic auditing at the implementation sites, worked out SEM documents in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 14001:2004, and organized training of the internal SEM auditors.
In 2009, TGC-1 continued working on SEM implementation at pilot project sites: Yuzhnaya CHPP and Vuoksinskie HPPs Cascade of Nevsky Branch.
Main SEM documents and procedures were introduced. Persons responsible for SEM implementation and functioning and internal SEM auditors were appointed at the project sites.
In accordance with SEM procedures, environmental aspects of the structural divisions business were identified and evaluated, registers of the given environmental aspects and important environmental aspects were developed and approved. Schedules of SEM internal audit of structural divisions of Yuzhnaya CHPP and Vuoksinskie HPPs Cascade, and the corporate schedule of SEM internal audits of TGC-1 for 2010 were developed.
11.3. Environmental protection events
Nevsky Branch
In 2009, within the framework of the investment program construction of cooling tower no. 2 at Pravoberezhnaya CHPP was continued in Nevsky Branch, and additional work under the project of sewage discharge system construction was provided at Nizhnesvirskaya HPP and Verkhnesvirskaya HPP of Svirskie HPPs Cascade.
Kolsky BranchIn 2009, overhaul of the dust extraction plant of the boiler generating unit no. 4 of Apatitskaya CHPP was carried out in Kolsky Branch.
At Nivskie HPPs Cascade, refurbishment of wastewater treatment facilities was completed. Two wastewater treatments plants Bioxi-5 and Bioxi-8 were put into service.
Karelsky BranchIn Karelsky Branch at Krivoporozhskaya, Putkinskaya and Yushkozerskaya HPPs of Kemskie HPPs Cascade, 6-10kV oil circuit breakers were replaced with vacuum circuit breakers.
At Ondskaya HPP of Vygskie HPPs Cascade, the 110kV circuit breaker was replaced with a SF6 circuit breaker, refurbishment of control and protection automatics was implemented, oil pumps were replaced at the hydro generating unit no. 2.
At Kondopozhskaya HPP of Sunskie HPPs Cascade, five cells of indoor 6kV switchgear were refurbished with replacement of oil circuit breakers with vacuum breakers, refurbishment of the diversion canal with project revision and environmental expertise being carried out.
At Khyamekoski HPP, refurbishment of head and overflow dams, replacement of the turbine at hydro generating unit no. 3 were carried out.
At Petrozavodskaya CHPP, refurbishment of the BG-1600 cooling tower of unit no. 1 was carried out, repair of water ducts from packaged pump house (installation of the metering unit) was completed.
