Environmental performance indicators

In order to improve environmental safety of the existing and constructed energy facilities by minimizing a negative environmental impact, reinforcing positive aspects of effects and ensuring a favorable environment for the current and future generations, the Board of Directors of RusHydro Group approved the Environmental Policy of RusHydro Group.

The Environmental Policy is mandatory for use by all organizations in RusHydro Group as well as those who carry out joint activities with Group companies on a contractual basis.

In 2019, the Programs of measures for implementation of RusHydro Group Environmental Policy was approved that contains a list of measures implemented by the headquarters, branches and controlled organizations. The program is developed for 2019-2021.

WATER USE

RusHydro Group is a large water user in the system of water facilities of Russia. Most activities of the Company are carried out at water bodies.

RusHydro Group operates water bodies in strict compliance with the Russian Federation laws. The Company timely obtains permits for water use and protection of water bodies from respective executive authorities. Water intake from RusHydro Group water bodies has no significant impact on water sources. [303-2].

The amount of water taken in 2020 stood at 728.07 mln m3, which is 4.0% less than the last year due to decreased water use for production needs in some facilities of the Far East Federal region caused by reduced generation of electricity and heat energy. 97% of taken water is consumed for production needs. [303–5].

Since 2013, the Company publishes data on level changes in HPP reservoirs of RusHydro Group at the Company web-site.

Total water intake with breakdown by sources, thou. m3 [303-1]

EFFECTS ON WATER BODIES

Total discharge of waste water by treatment method, thou. m3 [306-1]

Water protection activities of RusHydro Group

RusHydro Group annually carries the following water protection activities at its production facilities:

• Bank protection hydraulic engineering works and repairs
• Repair of anti-erosion hydraulic engineering structures
• Repair of regulation structures
• Regulation of clearance for dredging of water bodies
• Clearance of reservoir water zone, river and canal beds
• Construction and repair of water check facilities (reservoirs, ponds, longitudinal dikes, spur dikes, etc.)

ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION

Emission of pollutants

All production facilities of RusHydro Group control emission of pollutants to the atmospheric air. Pollutants are emitted to the atmosphere based on permits.

The total volume of most relevant pollutants in 2020 fell down to 24.1% as compared to 2019 and stood at 175.4 thou. t, which is related with disposal of Primorskaya HPP from RusHydro Group and with reduced electricity generation, fuel consumption for electricity generation and heat, improved quality of fuel as well as measures intended to reduce emissions in some facilities of the Far East Federal Region.

Atmospheric emission of SOx, СО, NOx, solids, t [305-7]

In 2020, measures were taken in the controlled organizations in the Far East to reduce pollutant emission to the atmosphere:

• routine repair and overhaul of dust-collecting and aeration facilities, scrubbers in order to maintain the cleanliness of stack gases at the nominal level. Such measures were taken at Blagoveshchenskaya CHPP, Raychikhinskaya CHPP, Neryugrinskaya GRES, Artyomovskaya CHPP, Partizansyaya GRES, Amurskaya CHPP, Komsomolsk CHPP-2, Mayskaya GRES, Khabarovskaya CHPP-1, Khabarovskaya CHPP-3, Ugralskaya boiler, Arkagalinskaya GRES, Magadanskaya CHPP;
• reconstruction of Khabarovskaya CHPP-3 to switch package boilers of the peak water boiler to natural gas. [305-5]

Emission of greenhouse gases

No direct emission of greenhouse gases occurs in operation of hydropower and power facilities based on other renewable energy sources. The Group accounts for СО2 emission for the facilities of the East RAO UES Subgroup operating with carbon raw materials.

Emission of greenhouses gases is calculated in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Russia No. 300 dated June 30, 2015 and using RD 153-34.0-02.318-2001 Methodological Guidelines to Calculation of Total Emission of Carbon Dioxide to Atmosphere from CHPP Boilers and Boiler Houses as well as inventory data of the Carbon Fund. The volumes of emission of greenhouse gases are found based on data for a specific facility according to the fuel mix.

In 2020, the volume of greenhouse gas emission was reduced by 14.6%. Such a significant reduction of greenhouse emission is mainly caused by disposal of Luchegorsky surface mine and related Primorskaya GRES from RusHydro Group in 2020. (102-10) In 2020, the total volume of greenhouse gas emission from burning of solid fuel decreased by 21.2%, with a substantial reduction of N2O (by 20.4%) and CH4 emissions (bu 19.6%).

Direct emission of greenhouse gases of the East RAO UES Subgroup (coverage area 1), thou. t [305-1]

Breakdown of greenhouse gas emission of the East RAO UES Subgroup (coverage area 1) by generation type, %

One of the major challenges considered by RusHydro Group in the updated Environmental Policy is a global climate change and the need to adapt to unfavorable consequences of these changes, that poses threats to life and health of people, the condition of flora and fauna and leads to changes of steady-state hydrologic and weather parameters.

In this regard, low-carbon development is one of the primary tasks of RusHydro Group. The RusHydro Group Environmental Policy sets out such target indicators until 2025 as reduced emission of greenhouse gases in direct and specific form and increased installed capacity of low-carbon generation.

Specific CO₂ emission of the East RAO UES Subgroup^2, t СО₂-equivalent³ [305-4]

It is planed to reduce emission of greenhouse gases by:

• substituting disposed heat generation capacities in the Far East by new, more environmentally friendly thermal plants. The modernization program envisages construction and upgrading of five Far East power plants: Khabarovskaya CHPP-4, Artyomovskaya CHPP-2, Yakutskaya GRES-2 (second stage), Vladivostokskaya CHPP-2 and Komsomolsk CHPP-2;
• commissioning of new small HPPs;
• implementation of energy efficiency improvement programs at CHPP;
• expanded implementation of projects in RES – solar and wind power plants.

The target indicator of Increased Installed Capacity of Low-Carbon Generation is also planned to be achieved by implementing the program of complex modernization (long-term program for 2012-2020 with a vision to 2025) suggesting technical refurbishment of RusHydro Group generation facilities. Moreover, the Group systematically implements projects in the field of renewable energy and plans to continue activities in this area. Also, RusHydro Group currently implements construction projects of small HPPs in the North Caucasus.

WASTES

As a result of operation of RusHydro Group energy facilities, the most wastes are represented by hazard class IV and V wastes (low-hazard and essentially non-hazardous) released from coal combustion (ashes and slag waste) at CHPP, as a result of reconstruction, and during repair and maintenance of equipment and structures (construction wastes, metallic, scrap, etc.)

By 2020, the total amount of wastes released from operation of RusHydro Group energy facilities was reduced by 92.0% as compared to 2019 and stood at 1.9 mln tons. The total volume of released wastes in the reporting period was decreased due to a significant reduction of hazard class V wastes because of disposal of JSC LUR facilities from RusHydro Group in 2020 (stripping wastes).

Total wastes with breakdown by hazard class, thou. t [306-2]

The released wastes are transferred under agreements to specialized organizations licensed for transportation, collection and further handling of wastes [306-4].

The ratio between the weight of hazard class 1-5 wastes disposed and decontaminated during 2020 (including wastes transferred to third party organizations for disposal and decontamination) and the weight of hazard class 1-5 wastes generated in 2020 was 0.15. In 2020, 20,532.8 tons of wastes were disposed, 37.4 tons were decontaminated, while 265,032.3 tons were transferred to third party organizations for disposal and decontamination [306-2].

¹ Controlled organizations of the Far Eastern Federal District

² Generation without taking into account the cascade of Vilyui hydroelectric power plants and solar power plants which operation does not lead to greenhouse gas emission.

³ Specific СО₂-equivalent emission is determined by the ratio of emission of t СО2-equivalent to electricity generation in million kWh and heat supply in thou. Gcal.