Key Measure

Definition

Power Station and npower renewables generation

The station generation is the total amount of electricity generated by our power stations. Generation is measured using fiscal standard meters used for commercial settlement.

Coal ash produced, land filled and recycled

Coal ash produced is the total amount of ash minus total particulates emitted. Total ash produced is based on weighbridge values or calculated based on fuel burnt and fuel characteristics.

Recycled coal ash is the amount of ash that has been sold for use as an alternative to raw materials in other industries (for example to replace aggregates in road construction). Recycled coal ash figures also include any ash that has been reclaimed from our ash landfill sites for recycling. Ash sold (sales) is taken from weighbridge values.

Land filled coal ash is the amount of ash that cannot be sold and has been disposed of on our ash landfill sites or temporary stockpile.

The amounts of coal ash produced, land filled and recycled are determined and reported for landfill tax returns. The figures are checked internally prior to submission to HM Revenue and Customs.

Cooling water abstracted and discharged

Cooling water is used to cool the steam used in the steam turbines. This allows the high quality water to be reused in the steam process.

The quantity of cooling water abstracted is determined using methods agreed with the Environment Agency and is reported annually by our stations as part of their abstraction licence requirements.

The volumes of cooling water discharged from our power stations are regulated by the Environment Agency under our Environmental Permits.

Town mains used

Town mains water used at our power station comes from the local supplier. Annual consumptions are based on billing data.

Waste disposed and recycled

Waste is produced by our power stations to enable operation of the plant under the Environmental Permit.

Wastes disposed and recycled by our power stations are monitored and recorded in accordance with existing UK and European waste legislation.

Quantities of waste produced, disposed and recycled are derived from waste transfer/consignment notes and consignee returns. Some quantities of wastes are estimated based on estimated mass of waste types and volumes of containers.

Various internal checks are undertaken on waste records. Records are periodically checked by an external auditor as part of our certified Environmental Management Systems and by the Environment Agency.

CO₂ emitted

Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from our power stations are measured in accordance with the Monitoring and Reporting requirements of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Data is verified by an external verifier in accordance with the requirements of the EU ETS.

Various internal checks are undertaken on the methods used and data inputs.

SO₂ emitted

Emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) from our power stations are regulated by the Environment Agency under our Environmental Permits (issued by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations). The emissions are determined using Electricity Supply Industry methods approved by the Environment Agency.

Various internal checks are undertaken on the methods used and data inputs.

NO_x emitted

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) from our power stations are regulated by the Environment Agency under our Environmental Permits (issued by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations). The emissions are determined using Electricity Supply Industry methods approved by the Environment Agency.

Various internal checks are undertaken on the methods used and data inputs.

Total particulates emitted

Emissions of total particulates from our power stations are regulated by the Environment Agency under our Environmental Permits (issued by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations). The emissions are determined using Electricity Supply Industry methods approved by the Environment Agency.

Various internal checks are undertaken on the methods used and data inputs.

SO₂, NO_x, dust and CO₂ intensity

This is a representation of the amount of sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, total particulates (dust) and carbon dioxide emitted per unit of electricity generated across our business. This is represented as gram of pollutant emitted per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity generated. The electricity generated also includes electricity generated from biomass combusted and RWE’s UK renewables business, RWE npower renewables.

Fuel consumption

The fuel consumed by our power stations is measured in accordance with the Monitoring and Reporting requirements of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Data is verified by an external verifier in accordance with the requirements of the EU ETS.

Biomass Generation

Generation from biomass sources is determined as part of the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme (a scheme derived to meet the requirements of the Renewables Obligation Order).

Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) (for every MWh of eligible renewable output) are submitted to the Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) as a requirement of the RO scheme.

Reporting of incidents, exceedances and justified complaints

RWE npower utilises an electronic information system to report environmental incidents and near misses across our various business areas.

Internal reporting of environmental issues is undertaken in accordance with a documented procedure, which is reviewed and maintained as part of an ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System.

Categorisation of environmental events is in accordance with regulatory classifications and industry best practices.

Complaints and enquiries are considered to be justified if investigations determine that the event was avoidable.

Capacity

The capacity reported is the maximum capacity at the generator terminals minus power used on site (works power)

Renewables Capacity

The capacity reported is the maximum capacity of the wind farm/hydro sites, except for sites that are in joint ownership, where the capacity reported is the pro-rated RWE npower renewables share.

Employee numbers

FTE = Full Time Equivalents as at 31st December 2011. Full Time Equivalents are full-time and part-time employees (excluding Executive Board members and managing directors, apprentices, dormant employment, working students/interns, partial retirement in the release phase) employed on a permanent or fixed term contract basis, with the part-time reduction deducted.

Accident Frequency Rate

Calculated by:

(Number of lost time accidents in a given time x 100,000) Number hrs worked within the same time span.

Serious Injury Rate

RIDDOR reportable and more than 3 day lost time accidents calculated as the AFR above. This also includes >3 day lost time Road Traffic Accidents which are not RIDDOR reportable

Lost Time Accident

Any Occupational injury or illness that results in a person

being unable to undertake their normal duties beyond the day

or shift on which the accident occurred.

Office waste

Waste is collected and reported to us as part of the contracts with our suppliers to remove the waste. General waste is classed as anything which is not included in our recycling waste streams or is contaminated waste which can't be recycled. This general waste goes to landfill.

All data is reported monthly by the relevant companies to our Facilities Management team who compile all data into excel spreadsheets which are then stored by the company Environmental Co-ordinators within the Environmental Management System (EMS) processes.

Business car miles

Journeys in private vehicles when travelling on company business. Information is collected from Expenses Claim Forms which collect information about the length of journey and type of fuel used.