Results in the field of environmental protection

Water use

RusHydro Group is a large water user in the water management system of Russia, most of the Company's activities are carried out at water bodies. The Group uses water bodies in strict compliance with legal requirements. [103-2], [103-3] The Company receives permits in a timely manner, for the implementation of water use and protection of water bodies in the relevant executive authorities. The diversion of water from the RusHydro Group's water bodies does not have a significant impact on water sources. [303-2]

In 2017, the amount of water withdrawn by RusHydro Group decreased by 0.99% and amounted to 753,352 thousand m³.

Since 2013, the Company has published data on changes in the levels of the reservoirs of the Hydro Power Plant of RusHydro Group on a special Internet portal.

Impacts on water bodies

Emissions

RusHydro Group controls emissions of pollutants into the air at all production facilities.

In 2017, the emissions exceeded the established maximum permissible values for Raichihinskaya GRES by 1,907.55 tonnes. The increase in emission allowances is due to increased electricity production.

Operations of HPPs do not lead to large-scale greenhouse gases emissions.

Calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is carried out for RAO ES East Subgroup facilities in accordance with the Decree of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2015 No. 300 and using RD 153-34.0-02.318-2001 "Methodological guidelines for calculating the emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from boilers of thermal power plants and boiler houses” and inventory data of the Carbon Fund. Emissions of greenhouse gases are determined on the basis of data for a specific facility, based on the fuel balance of the facility. [103-2], [103-3]

In 2017, greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.05%. That increase is due to the growth in electricity generation by the facilities of the RAO ES East Subgroup and increased consumption of tonnes of equivalent fuel of the East for electricity generation.

In 2017 in the controlled companies in the Far East, measures were taken to reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere: [305-5]

• repair of ash removers, scrubbers, cyclones, electrostatic precipitators in order to maintain the degree of flue gas cleaning at the normative level. Such measures were carried out at the Arkagalinskaya GRES, Magadanskaya CHPP, Primorskaya GRES, Birobidzhanskaya CHPP, Urgalskaya boiler plant, Raichikhinskaya GRES, Blagoveshchenskaya CHPP, Amurskaya CHPP, Vladivostokskaya CHPP-2, Partizanskaya GRES, Kamchatka, Nikolskoye, Central and School coal boiler houses, and also in Tigil coal-fired boiler No. 4 and in Manily, Central Coal Boiler House;
• transition to gas for Khabarovskaya CHPP-1.

Waste

At RusHydro Group's energy facilities, the main share is generated by waste products of the 4th and 5th hazard classes, which are formed as a result of the reconstruction of facilities, as well as during the repair and maintenance of equipment and structures. RusHydro Group companies do not transport their own wastes. The generated wastes are transferred under contracts to specialised organisations that have licenses for activities related to the transportation, collection and further management of wastes . [306-4]

The increase in the volume of waste generation in 2017 compared to 2016 for RusHydro Group was because of the increase in the volume of generation of waste of hazard class 5:

• in JSC DRSK, JSC Kamchatskenergo, PJSC Sakhalinenergo ash and slag wastes volumes increased due to the increase in the volume of coal combustion in the main production;
• in JSC LUR - the formation of wastes of overburden increased in connection with the increase in work on the development of overburden.

Biodiversity conservation

Impacts on biodiversity

Generating production facilities of PJSC RusHydro are not located within the boundaries of specially protected natural areas. The grid infrastructure facilities included in the RAO ES East Subgroup are located on the territories of specially protected natural areas, where rare species of plants and animals inhabit. [304-1], [103-2], [103-3]

The RAO ES East Subgroup seeks not to have a significant impact on biodiversity and protected natural areas. As a result of the activities of the Subgroup, there is no reduction in the number of species, the change of habitats, the spread of invasive species, pests and pathogens. [304-2]

Protected species the habitats of which are affected by the activities of RusHydro Group [304-4]

The habitat of the mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) in the Amur Region fell into the flood zone of the reservoir of the Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP. The bird is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation as a rare species, as well as in the IUCN-96 Red List, Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, annexes of bilateral agreements concluded by Russia with Japan and the Republic of Korea and the DPRK on the protection of migratory birds.

Also in the flood zone of the reservoir, the main habitat of the fern species, Aleuritopteris kuna (Aleuritopteris kuhnii), was found. The plant is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation as a threatened species.

The process of filling the reservoir of the Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP affected also the habitats of ungulates living in the flood zone of the reservoir.

Construction of the Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP, as well as the activities of JSC DRSK of RAO ES East Subgroup, has an impact on endangered species, Far Eastern storks (Ciconia boyciana) in particular. This specie is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and in the Red List of IUCN-96, Appendix 1 of CITES, annexes of bilateral agreements concluded between Russia and Japan, the Republic of Korea and the DPRK on the protection of migratory birds.

RusHydro Group implemented the “Bureysky Compromise” project. Within the framework of this project activities for the resettlement of animals and birds from the flooded zone and transfer of rare plants were carried out.

Activities on biodiversity conservation

RusHydro Group is implementing biodiversity conservation activities in five areas.

Activities of the RusHydro Group for Biodiversity Conservation

PJSC RusHydro develops international cooperation in the field of environmental protection, in particular, in matters of biological diversity’s conservation. Within the framework of the UNDP project in 2017, the practical part of the implementation of the environmental project "Bureysky Compromise" was completed. It was implemented by the State-Financed Institution " Directorate for the Protection and Use of Wildlife and Specially Protected Natural Areas", JSC Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP, scientific and environmental organisations of the region, and the media.

In 2015, the Bureysky Nature Park was established in the area of the reservoir of the Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP. Since 2014, JSC Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP has been implementing a programme of socio-ecological monitoring on the territory of the natural park and on adjacent territories. With the support of the UNDP Project in the programme of socio-ecological monitoring for 2015-2017, an assessment of the impact of economic activities on biodiversity was included. In 2017, the monitoring coverage area was 567 thousand hectares.

In 2017, PJSC RusHydro supported the programme to restore the Persian leopard in the Caucasus. Within the framework of the Agreement on Cooperation between the North Ossetian Branch of PJSC RusHydro and the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of RAS, a unique project has been launched to prepare the zone for the release of individuals of the Persian leopard in Ossetia. The project of the IEE RAS and PJSC RusHydro for the implementation of the programme for the restoration of the Persian leopard (Caucasian leopard) on the territory of Ossetia includes a set of scientific, environmental and eco-education activities aimed at ensuring the preparation of the territory as a zone for the production of Asian leopards that are prepared in the framework of the international programme implemented Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.

Measure on the preservation of the ungulate animal population

To minimise the risks of injuries and death of ungulates during the filling of the reservoir of the Nizhne-Bureyskaya Hydroelectric Power Plant, more than 25 feeding complexes equipped with mineral and vitamin additives were placed in advance on the territory of the Bureysky nature park adjacent to the reservoir. The event is intended to concentrate the animals in the center of the Bureysky Nature Park and to displace them from the reservoir storage areas.

The complexes are equipped with automatic cameras for photo and video recording, which allows receiving information about their attendance by animals. In 2017, the feeding grounds were repaired and equipped with additional mangers for the winter period and the period of filling the reservoir.

Measures on the preservation of plants

In the flood zone of the reservoir of Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP, five species of rare and endemic plant species were found. For the conservation of rare plant species in 2017, an additional transfer of endemics to new growth sites was implemented. An additional measure of plant support was the "ex-situ" event in relation to the fern Alevritopters Kuna, listed in the Red Book, the main habitats of which were in the flood zone of the Nizhne-Bureyskoye Reservoir. In the Botanical Garden of Blagoveshchensk, with the support of the UNDP Project, the creation of specialized climate chambers began, where, from the spores of a rare fern, plants are grown to be introduced into places suitable for growth. The first planting of plants grown in the Botanical Garden of Blagoveshchensk took place in June 2017. Planting of plant populations grown in a climatic chamber will be carried out until 2019.

Preservation of the bird species

Measures to minimize the impact on the bird fauna were directed at the two most vulnerable species: the mandarin duck and the Far Eastern stork. In 2017, measures were continued to install additional artificial nests during the filling of the reservoir and monitor the effectiveness of this solution to maintain the mandarin duck population in the process of creating a water body.

Artificial supports for nests of Far Eastern storks are established in Muravievsky reserve.

The subsidiary company of JSC RAO ES East - PJSC Yakutskenergo equips high-voltage power lines with special bird protection devices passing through a specially protected natural area in Ust-Maysky ulus in Yakutia, where 24 species of birds are under protection.

PJSC Yakutskenergo provides insulation of the power lines with a special self-supporting insulated cable in the territory of the natural park "Living diamonds of Yakutia", through which the high-voltage line 6-10 kV passes. In addition, the company equips with fences and shrouds transformer substations on transmission lines to prevent animals from entering the substation.

Restoring fish resources activities

Due to the specifics of its activities, the Company pays special attention to the conservation and restoration of fish stocks of rivers, for which, since 2003, annual voluntary stocks for stocking rivers and reservoirs of hydroelectric power stations have been held.

In early 2017, the Dagestan branch released 20,000 fry of rainbow and stream trout to the Chirkey reservoir. In June, the Cheboksary HPP released 11,000 fry of sterlet into the Cheboksary water reservoir, a fish of a particularly valuable species listed in the Red Book. In June 2017 in the Amur Region there was an action on stocking the Zeya River - Krasnoyarovo, with the participation of PJSC RusHydro, released 5,000 fry of Amur sturgeon into the river, a rare and particularly valuable representative of sturgeons. The project was implemented to maintain the abundance of species in the Upper and Middle Amur basin. In July 2017, RusHydro's funds to the Volga near Saratov produced 14,000 sterlet fry and in October, 77,000 carp and white carp. Nizhne-Bureyskaya HPP in July 2017 in Bureya released 6,000 fry of valuable species of fish species.

Restoration of disturbed lands