We are managing our facilities properly and within regulatory requirements and permit conditions. We are making strides to transform. We are continuing to introduce more renewable sources into our generation mix. We are also working to help our customers use less electricity. Here you’ll find details on how our company’s environmental performance has evolved over the years.
- Today, we primarily use fossil fuels to make electricity. This approach is based in public policy decisions made 30 years ago when, like today, there was uncertainty about world fuel prices. We were mandated to use local coal as a primary fuel rather than foreign oil. This was a good decision based on the times, and the power plants that were built then have been good value for our customers.
- At around the same time, technologies to reduce SO2 emissions were becoming available. But we didn’t include those technologies in our generating station building plans at that time. Instead, we balanced cost against our actual environmental effect given geography. The majority of our thermal generating plants are built on eastern end of North America. Most of our SO2 and NOx emissions wouldn’t come into contact with large numbers of people. This was a key part of the decision made at that time – a different era from today.
- Nova Scotia Power’s largest thermal generating station, Lingan, was constructed on Cape Breton Island.
- Point Tupper Generating Station, also based in Cape Breton, was converted from burning oil to burning coal.
- Our Annapolis Tidal Power Plant, one of only three tidal power plants in the world and the only one in North America, was constructed.
- Our Wreck Cove hydro plant was also constructed.
- We began using low-sulphur coal and state-of-the-art low NOx burners at Unit 6 of our Trenton Generating Station. We added an electrostatic precipitator, designed to reduce emissions, to Unit 5 at Trenton.
- Point Aconi Generating Station was constructed, opening in 1994. This plant is our most environmentally-progressive coal burning facility and was state of the art at the time of construction.
- We added natural gas to our fuel mix, making it possible for our Tufts Cove Generating Station to burn natural gas or heavy fuel oil. We also added electrostatic precipitators to Unit 2 at Tufts Cove.
- Coal mines in Cape Breton closed down.
- We added Units 4 and 5 at our Tufts Cove Generating Station. These are smaller, natural gas-fired units.
- We added electrostatic precipitators to Tufts Cove Units 1 and 3.
- We enhanced our net metering program, raising the upper limit from 10 kilowatts to 100 kilowatts. Customers with a generation source of their own get full retail value for any excess power they produce. A growing number are taking advantage of this program.
- We are still a cost-of-service regulated utility, but we hope to make an aggressive environmental transformation.
- We installed our first two wind turbines at Grand Etang and Little Brook as the beginning of our push to add more renewable energy to our system.
- Five per cent of all energy must come from new renewable sources brought online since January 1, 2001 and operated by independent power producers.
- Ten per cent of all energy must come from new renewable sources brought online since January 1, 2001 and operated by independent power producers and Nova Scotia Power.
- Currently, 71-75 per cent of the electricity we generate is made by burning coal or petroleum coke. But as part of our plan to improve our environmental performance, that amount would drop to 50 per cent or less. The difference would be made up by non-emitting, renewable sources. This approach would bring a lot of value to Nova Scotia, given that 90 per cent of coal and petroleum coke dollars currently leave the province. The more we can make use of indigenous resources, the more we can keep that money invested at home.
- Twenty five per cent of all energy must come from renewable sources operated by independent power producers and Nova Scotia Power.
- The provincial government has set an aspirational goal of Fourty per cent of all energy to come from renewable sources operated by independent power producers and Nova Scotia Power.