OREANDA-NEWS. On 25 April 2008 was announced, that JSC “TGC-1” has undertaken the development and deployment of an environmental management system (EMS) under the ISO 14001 standard.

With this system in place, the Company hopes to make a further step in implementing its social responsibility program. The deployment of the EMS is aimed to minimize the environmental risks accompanying TGC-1 activities as well as to improve the reliability and safety of heat and electricity supply. By now, an Environmental Policy, which identifies priorities and commitments in respect to rational utilization of natural resources and environmental protection, has been drafted and approved in JSC “TGC-1”.

To start with, the environmental management system will be put into operation in the Administration body of JSC “TGC-1” and at 3 facilities of Nevsky Branch, including CHPP-22, the Heating Grid enterprise and Vuoksinskiye HEPPs Cascade (Cascade-1). A consultancy company Ecopromsystems, has been contracted through a competitive tendering process to work out and implement the EMS in JSC “TGC-1”.

The work on the development and deployment of the EMS has already begun. Experts have embarked on a diagnostic audit of the existing environmental management system. After the audit is completed, the consultants will prepare a comprehensive program for developing and deploying a new environmental management system. In June 2008, Ecopromsystems is to conduct a training session for JSC “TGC-1” employees in accordance with the ISO 14001:2004 standard's requirements and EMS deployment methods.

 Ecopromsystems has a broad experience in deploying management systems. The company developed and prepared for certification a number of environmental, quality, labor protection and occupational safety management systems for a broad range of large Russian companies, including TNK-BP group’s enterprises, JSC RussNeft Oil and Gas Company, JSC “DSK-2”, etc.

The company has recently implemented a number of environment-related projects in the electric power sector, including the pilot projects for the deployment of environmental management systems in JSC “WGC-2” and JSC “SGC TGC-8”, the environmental audits of the Kirishi Regional Power Plant and Bashkirenergo’s enterprises as well as drafting of environmental documentation for TGC-1 branch, etc.

  For reference: JSC “TGC-1” (the “Company”) is the leading generator and supplier of electricity and heat in the North-West region of Russia and the third largest company in terms of installed capacity among the country’s territorial generating companies. JSC “TGC-1” operates 55 power plants in four subjects of the Russian Federation, including Saint-Petersburg, the Republic of Karelia, the Leningrad and Murmansk Regions. The company’s generating assets consist of a variety of power plants (thermal, hydroelectric, diesel, combined-cycle plants). TGC-1 also operates a heating grid system of over 940 km. The installed electric capacity of the company’s plants reaches 6 278.4 MW; installed heat capacity totals 14 754 GCal/h. The generated electricity is largely supplied to the internal wholesale market; however, some part of it is exported to Finland and Norway. JSC “TGC-1” is the principal supplier of heat in Saint-Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Murmansk, Kirovsk of the Leningrad Region and Apatity of the Murmansk Region.

The company’s state registration was carried out on March 25, 2005. On October 1, 2005, JSC “TGC-1” started operating.

 Since 1 November 2006 (after the merger with JSC “Petersburg Generating Company”, JSC “Kola Generating Company”, JSC “Apatity CHPP” and JSC “Karelenergogeneratsiya”), the regionally scattered production facilities of TGC-1 operate as a single joint-stock company.

The Company’s major shareholders are JSC RAO “UES of Russia” (42.31%), Fortum Power and Heat Oy (25.69%), JSC “MMC Norilsk Nickel” (5.60%) and OOO “Russian Energy Projects” (17.67%).