Part II - EDP

As a highly significant measure to promote
micro‐generation and energy efficiency, we also
completed a project to supply electricity from a renewable
source to the Sustainability Area at EDP’s head office.
The supply comes from a photovoltaic system that operates
independently from the electricity grid.
9.3. Biodiversity
EDP’s activities fall within its Biodiversity Policy, which was
published on the EDP website in 2007.
Due to the importance of impacts on biodiversity resulting
from the construction and operation of power generation
and distribution infrastructure, EDP published a brochure
about the company’s actions in this area. It will be available
on www.edp.pt > Sustainability > Biodiversity in the first
half of 2009 and will complement information given in this
section.
This brochure describes ongoing projects in the B&B
partnership with the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation
Institute (ICNB) and a number of current case studies.
In 2008, the first edition of Biodiversity EDP Fund distributed
EUR 500,000 to three different projects selected from
105 high-quality applications.
In electricity distribution in Portugal, EDP continued its work
under the Birdlife Agreement, a partnership set up with two
NGOs, Quercus and the Portuguese Bird Society (SPEA),
and the ICNB. The aim of this agreement is to reconcile
quality of service with the protection of birdlife. At the end
of 2008 it had resulted in anti-collision and electrocution
protection in 125 km of overhead lines.
Concerning electricity generation, the third year of the
Plan to Restore Migratory Fish to the Douro Basin was
completed. In spring 2008, 80,000 lamprey larvae were
released on the banks of the River Sousa in order to
repopulate the Douro Basin with sea lamprey.
We returned to the cooperation agreement with INETI, now
called LNEG (National Engineering and Geology Laboratory)
for a project to recover thermal waste in protected
agriculture – the Serra da Arrábida Reforestation Project.
The greenhouses will remain in order to support present
and future activities for the conservation and promotion of
biodiversity.
In Brazil, the monitoring fish life and biodiversity studies
continued along with the restoration of habitats around
some hydroelectric power stations.
Due to the rapid growth in installed wind-power capacity,
32 % of the existing farms, totalling 51, have monitoring
in place.
Offsetting impact in Cloud County,
Kansas
Following a study to assess the ecological impact
of the wind farm in Cloud County, Kansas, in 2008
Horizon Wind Energy committed itself to financing
a volunteer nature conservation programme to
offset any impact resulting from the wind farm.
The agreement, signed by Ranchland Trust of
Kansas (RTK) and Nature Conservancy of Kansas,
covers the investment for a habitat recovery
programme outside the wind farm area in around
8,000 hectares.
EDP Management in Classified Areas in 2008
Portugal Spain Brazil USA
Distribution Grids (km)
AT
Overhead 846 38 42 n.a.
Underground 4 0.5 0.1 n.a.
MT
Overhead 7,539 587 3,834 n.a.
Underground 708 23 0.4 n.a.
No. of substations 19 10 20 n.a.
Generation (ha)
Areas flooded by reservoirs (*) 3,426 260 0 n.a.
Areas assigned to wind generation 716 n.a. n.a. 0
(*)
Not including Alqueva and Pedrógão
9.4. Environmental management
EDP’s corporate environmental management system
has ISO 14001:2004 certification. It covers corporate
management of environmental policies and strategic
environment plans, environmental information and the
environmental performance of EDP Group organisations.
Certification of its corporate environmental management
system has reinforced EDP’s commitment to include
environmental aspects in planning and decision-making
processes at all levels, such as the assessment, control
and minimisation of significant impacts arising from its
activities.
Identification of and response to accidents and
emergencies are included in emergency plans and
procedures aimed at the prevention and minimisation of
related environmental impacts. Drills are held to check that
emergencies are identified and dealt with correctly and to
assess response capacity.
The importance of ongoing improvement in environmental
management and eco-efficiency also encourages the
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