The OPG Niagara Plant Group operates hydroelectric generating stations on the Niagara River and at DeCew Falls in St. Catharines. These stations have a total capacity of 2,338 MW and a full-time staff complement of 231 people.
They have committed to nine innovative pollution reduction initiatives to reduce their environmental footprint and go beyond-compliance over the next five years.
These commitments include:
- Reducing the risk of non-PCB transformer oil spills and finding ways to recycle, and rejuvenate this old oil from 25 cycle transformers at their SAB 1 and Niagara TS facilities so it can be reused as high quality transformer oil
- Planting 15,000 new seedlings and seeds over the next two years to increase biodiversity and restore habitats around Lake Moodie, the Niagara Escarpment, the DeCew Gorge and the 12 Mile Creek Valley
- Increasing energy efficiency on two generators (G7 and G10) at the Sir Adam Beck 1 facility that will significantly increase generation … up to 188 per cent by 2012 on generator G10 and up to 710 per cent on G7 by the end of 2009
- These upgrades will increase electricity generation by approximately 325 giga-watt hours per year (GWh/year) by the end of 2012 and they will also reduce air emissions — combating air pollution and reducing harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change
- Hosting the first Canadian trial of a biological treatment using a soil microbe to replace chlorine for zebra and quagga mussel control at the DeCew Falls 2 GS facility. If successful, OPG Niagara Plant Group could eliminate the use of 20,000 litres of chlorine each year and the formation of harmful by-products.
In addition, OPG Niagara Plant Group will implement a public communications and outreach plan provide the ministry with public annual reports on progress towards their targets and undertake third-party verification of performance towards these targets in years two and five5 of membership in the Leaders program.
OPG’s Environmental Policy states that OPG will strive to continually improve its environmental performance by committing to the following seven requirements:
- Meet or Exceed Legal Requirements: Meet all legal requirements and OPG’s voluntary commitments, with the objective of exceeding those standards where appropriate and feasible.
- Advance Environmental Stewardship: Contribute to environmental protection, pollution prevention and energy and resource use efficiency.
- Maintain ISO 14001 System: Maintain registrations to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001: 2004 Environmental Management System.
- Integrate Environment in Decision-Making: Integrate environmental factors and stakeholder considerations into our planning, decision making and business practices.
- Engage Employees: Engage and educate employees to conduct their activities in a manner that respects and protects the environment.
- Contribute to Our Communities: Contribute to and enhance the environmental well-being of the communities in which we operate and the broader public who grant us our license to operate.
- Communicate: Measure and publicly communicate our environmental performance with employees, governments, local communities, contractors and other stakeholders.
OPG Niagara Plant Group’s Recent Environmental Initiatives
- In 2008, Niagara Plant Group initiated the CETA Program (Care Enough to Act) which covers Business Excellence, Leadership, Community Service, Safety and the Environment; CETA suggestions are reviewed and approved initiatives are implemented.
- In 2004, a partnership was initiated with the City of St. Catharines to establish an Engineered Wetland on Niagara Plant Group lands to help protect water quality in 12 Mile Creek; actual construction was completed in October 2007.
- Between 2004 and 2007, Niagara Plant Group planted over 15,000 trees and shrubs in the 12 Mile Creek area. These plantings were in partnership with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Land Care Niagara, Niagara Restoration Council, St. Catharines Green Committee and others.
- In 2006, a partnership was initiated with the Niagara Parks Commission to establish a 3.3 hectare native plant nursery on OPG lands and to also help eradicate non-native invasive European Buckthorn. In 2006 Niagara Plant Group donated more than 250 person hours of in kind support towards initial preparatory clearing activities around protected trees and danger areas. In 2007, large scale clearing took place on rights of way through the area with the assistance of Hydro One. Other partners include Land Care Niagara, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and Niagara College to name a few.
- Since 2006, Niagara Plant Group has carried out Marsh Monitoring during the months of April, May and June following the Bird Studies Canada methodology at wetlands and marsh areas around Niagara Plant Group.
- Niagara Plant Group has assisted with banding Peregrine Falcons at the original Ontario Power GS (no longer owned by OPG) site below Niagara Falls in 2007 and 2008. This involved installing a special fall restraint on short notice in 2007, working with the Ministry of Natural Resources to develop a Safety Plan, and carrying out the banding using volunteers who recovered the birds from a nest hanging over the Niagara River at the base of Niagara Falls.
- For the past three years Niagara Plant Group has assisted students from Niagara College by hosting a field project for them to work at on Niagara Plant Group lands. Information gathered is used as part of the Biodiversity Program.
- Niagara Plant Group staff has installed about 28 nesting boxes covering most Niagara Plant Group facilities. Through a donation made to Mel Swart Park, volunteers installed about 60 nesting boxes on Mel Swart Park lands on Lake Gibson, and about 35 nesting boxes on OPG lands.
Recent Awards and Recognition
- In Spring 2008, Niagara Plant Group obtained Conservation Education Site Designation from the Wildlife Habitat Council.
- In 2007, Niagara Plant Group won the Region of Niagara Corporate Environment Award.
- In 2007, Niagara Plant Group was nominated as one of the top four international sites (out of 105) for Corporate Habitat of the Year from the Wildlife Habitat Council.
- In 2005, Niagara Plant Group (all seven main facilities) became registered to the Wildlife at Work Program with the Wildlife Habitat Council.
