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Expanding Responsibly
Reducing the environmental impacts of our operations continues to
be a core value of ATCO Electric.
Environmental Commitment
Environmental protection was a key consideration in a 2006 line
relocation project. The 25-kV line ran through the west side of the Buffalo Lake
Habitat Conservation Area, near Stettler.
Working with the Alberta Fish and Game Association and
Ducks Unlimited, we moved an existing line away from the conservation area. This
required the construction of 1.6 kilometres of new line.
We also continued to support the Alberta Ecotrust
Foundation, an organization that matches community-led environmental efforts
with funding. We helped build trail systems, sponsored technical conferences and
co-sponsored technical conferences and co-sponsored recycling programs in
service communities across Alberta.
Reducing our
Environmental Impact
At the
heart of ATCO Electric’s
environmental efforts is
a commitment to minimize
its environmental impact. Here are a
few examples.
PCB
Phase-Out
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ATCO
Electric was one of the
first electric utilities
in Canada to commit to
becoming a
"non-PCB"
utility. In 1997, we
began the task of
identifying and
disposing of all
distribution equipment
that had PCB content of
more than 40
parts-per-million (ppm).
Equipment with a PCB
content of 50-ppm or
less is considered to be
"non-PCB,"
according to national
standards.
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By
the end of 2001, our
employees examined
virtually every piece of
distribution equipment
that might contain PCBs.
This resulted in more than 700
pieces of equipment removed
from our system and sent
for disposal.
That's equal to the
removal of 75,000 litres
of PCB-contaminated oil.
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Work to identify and
dispose of PCB equipment
continues on the
transmission side of our
business. All major
transmission equipment
has been tested and
removed if PCB content
exceeded 40 ppm; the
balance of our work is
now focused on
phasing out
equipment with small
volumes of oil as it comes
out of service.
Extending
the Life of our Power
Poles
It
takes a lot of poles to
bring power to our
customers – more than
700,000 in fact.
Reliable power depends
on making sure our poles
are solid and well
maintained. To extend
the life of a pole, it’s
important to protect it
from internal rot and
the effects of our harsh
climate. ATCO Electric
uses environmentally
friendly pole life
extension products that
are also cost efficient,
saving customers money
over the long term.
Reducing
Waste
Less
waste means a reduced
burden on the
environment. ATCO
Electric recycles,
reuses and whenever
possible reduces the use
of various products.
And, when we dispose of
waste, we only use
waste handlers
and landfills
that meet ATCO Electric
standards.
Vegetation
Management
Left
untouched, trees can
interfere with energized
equipment. This can
result in safety issues
for customers, employees
and contractors and
disrupt the power
supply. It’s important
to ATCO Electric to do
what we can to prevent
trees from contacting or
falling on our power
lines, which could
result in forest fires.
In
managing
vegetation growth, ATCO
Electric is careful to
minimize its impact on
the environment. For
example, we often
replace shelter belt
trees with lower growing
species. In this way, we
are doing what we can to
balance service and
safety requirements with
the need to protect the
environment.
Protecting
Fish and Wildlife
ATCO
Electric serves northern
and southeast Alberta, a
diverse region with a
unique ecology. We work
with Alberta Environment
and non-government
groups to protect and
preserve fish and
wildlife habitat that
could be affected by
company activities or
facilities.
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When
applying to build
new transmission
facilities, ATCO
Electric identifies
the general
environmental
impacts of the new
construction,
including wildlife
concerns.
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When
an application is
approved for
transmission
facilities or when
we apply for a
distribution
facility easement, a
more detailed
environmental
assessment is
prepared. In this
plan (known as an
Environmental Field
Report), we identify
specific protective
measures that will
prevent disturbance
of fish spawning
areas or wildlife
migration paths.
Birds
and power lines don’t
always get along very
well. ATCO Electric uses
a variety of methods to
reduce contact between
birds and energized
equipment. For example,
in some locations, we
install anti-perch
devices to keep birds
off power lines, mark
wires to improve
visibility and install
nesting platforms for
osprey.
Electric
and Magnetic Fields
Electric
and magnetic fields
(EMF) are found whenever
power lines, electric
appliances or other
devices are used.
Over the past few
decades, scientists have been
studying the possible
relationship between EMF
and human health.
Independent reviews of
research conducted to
date generally concludes
that human health is not at
risk as a result of
exposure to EMF.
Studies
are continuing, however,
and more research is
needed. ATCO Electric
will continue to monitor
the work that is being
done in Canada and
abroad.
In the
mean time, ATCO Electric
continues to take a
number of steps to
ensure we act
responsibly. For
example,
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All
transmission and
distribution
facilities are built
according to
accepted engineering
and safety
standards.
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When
additional power is
needed in densely
populated areas, we
try to use existing
transmission and
distribution
rights-of-way and
structures. This
minimizes the number
of power corridors
and structures needed for new power
lines.
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We
conduct EMF
measurements for
customers, on
request.
For further
information, please
click on the link
below to the
Canadian Electricity
Association's EMF
fact sheet.
www.canelect.ca
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