OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2013. Protection of the environment is an integral part of the environmental policy and social responsibility of JSC “Moscow United Electric Grid Company”. In connection with this, energy specialists of the branch of JSC “MOESK” – the Western Electric Grids perform a required complex of measures for its implementation: planned modernization and replacement of process plants, industrial waste disposal, organization of environmental education of employees, systematic work in these issues with contractors.

In 2012, the costs of meeting the challenges in the field of the environment in the Western Electric Grids exceeded RUR 2 million. Special attention was paid to improvement of production facilities of the branch and production and consumption waste disposal according to the Sanitary Regulations and Standards (SanPiN 2.1.7.1322-03). Thus, 12 waterproof concreted sites with special covers for warehousing and storage of large waste (scrap metal, used tires, used supports, etc.) were built as required in each of the eight electric grids districts (EGDs) that are part of the branch. Construction and improvement of 25 production sites for storage of municipal solid waste (SW) was completed. Each of them was implemented under an individual project, in accordance with the SanPin rules.

The branch defined the following significant environmental aspects in its work: reduction in negative impact of economic activities on the environment below the level set forth by the standards of allowable impact on the environment, improvement of environmental production control and application of preventive measures to reduce negative impact. Special attention is paid to teaching operational and maintenance personnel, who service oil-filled cable lines and oil preparation equipment and recharge, in environmental aspects of preventing land contamination with petroleum. Such demands in respect of the environmental aspects are made by the Western Electric Grids to all contractors working in the branch’s responsibility area.

A sufficiently high level of environmental responsibility of energy specialists is also proved by the fact that JSC “MOESK” and the branch in particular implements the practice of internal environmental audit. This event is organized for effective nature protection management. Thus, in 2012, within the framework of monitoring of the impact on the environment, the production units of the Western Electric Grids held 40 tests of pollutant emission. According to Pavel Kulikov, head of the environmental sector of the Western Electric Grids, “Analysis of EMS (ecological management system) showed that the purposes of the branch in the field of environmental protection last year were achieved, no accidents leading to pollution of the environment were recorded, no suggestions on improving the environmental performance of the enterprise or elimination of deficiencies were received by the Western Electric Grids.”

In autumn of 2012, the branch passed external audit of the integrated management system for compliance with the quality system requirements to the requirements of international standard ISO 14001:2004 (environmental management) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (occupational health and safety). In the course of the audit, the company demonstrated objective evidence of effective maintenance and improvement of their activities in terms of compliance with environmental policy.

In 2013, the Western Electric Grids plan to spend about RUR 3 million rubles for performance of a range of activities in the field of ecology.