Longannet Power Station EMAS STATEMENT 2012 page 02

C O N T E N T S Introduction OVERVIEW OF LONGANNET POWER STATION, THE SECOND LARGEST COAL-FIRED PLANT IN THE UK PAGE 4 Our EMS EXPLAINING THE STRUCTURE OF THE STATION’S ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PAGE 5 Our team effort to s Key Issues A SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL In recent years station management and staff have been conscious of the pressing LEGISLATION AND THE FUTURE challenges facing Longannet as it CHALLENGES FACING LONGANNET approaches its 40th anniversary. PAGE 6 The environmental and political landscape INTRODUCTION has altered dramatically since Scotland’s Station Processes largest generating station became fully by IAN CHISHOLM operational in 1973. Station Manager EXAMINING THE STATION’S INPUTS We recognise the demanding challenges AND OUTPUTS FOR 2012 AND OUR we must meet if Longannet is to have a ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE successful long-term future. impact on the external environment. PAGE 12 That’s why, in December 2012, we This will be achieved by improving the launched an important new strategy – Team performance of our coal mills and boilers and Targets & Achievements Longannet: Securing the future beyond 2020. fine tuning the complex processes involved. Simply put, it will need team action, Improving combustion has a direct impact on WE LIST OUR CURRENT OBJECTIVES everyone pulling in the same direction, to our emissions to air. ensure the plant can look forward with Delivering the work streams will be AND REPORT ON THE PROGRESS TO confidence. challenging – and exciting. DATE IN ACHIEVING OUR TARGETS We must work together to meet ever- We hope the reward will be Longannet’s PAGE 19 tightening legislation on emissions and operational life being extended, possibly identify what must be done to get the ageing towards 2030. Social & Community plant in shape. That would safeguard the jobs of our And crucially, Team Longannet must colleagues and contractors, offer the Scottish LONGANNET AND ITS STAFF HELP demonstrate a strong case for investment to coal industry a long-term future and provide A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY extend the life of the station – by being security of energy supply for homes and PROJECTS AND GOOD CAUSES reliable, efficient, compliant and business in Scotland. PAGE 20 profitable. Innovation and ingenuity have Team Longannet: Securing The Securing always been trademarks of our the Future strategy is the future beyond 2020 lays workforce and I am being reinforced with new Conservation & Biodiversity the foundation for confident they will rise to branding and staff are Longannet to continue the challenge again. THE STATION AIMS TO WORK IN encouraged to listen in to a operating for many years to Next year will see an HARMONY WITH THE WILDLIFE THAT daily message recorded by come. Station Manager Ian Chisholm example of innovation in THRIVES ON OUR SITES The strategy consists of about plant status, key action as the station closes PAGE 21 four separate work streams – messages and key tasks in on a solution to reducing looking at People, for the day. one of our key emissions to Glossary of Terms Housekeeping, Maintenance and air, oxides of nitrogen (NOX). Combustion. The forthcoming Industrial A USEFUL REFERENCE TO THE TERMS The People work stream will provide the Emissions Directive (IED) will introduce strict AND ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE right leadership and support to energise our new targets for NOX emissions when it comes 2012 EMAS STATEMENT workforce and engage with our mission. into force in January 2016. Housekeeping is about improving our own Being able to meet the new limits for NO is PAGE 22 X environment, making the station a safer, a critical element of the plan to secure our healthier and more enjoyable place to work. future – and we will be the first power station EMAS Validation The team involved in Maintenance will in the UK to test a particular suite of cutting- edge NO reduction technologies, covered in DECLARATION FROM THE VERIFIER deliver a strategy that drives productivity and X improved plant availability. And finally, the more detail later in this statement. OF THE ECO-MANAGEMENT AND Combustion work stream will concentrate on We are starting to benefit from our AUDIT SCHEME (EMAS) our main purpose in life – generating the substantial investment in abatement to

PAGE 23 most electricity we can from each tonne of reduce our sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions. coal whilst at the same time minimising our Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) is aimed at page 03

o secure Longannet’s future

Environmental Policy Longannet Power Station, the largest in Scotland, produces electricity through the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. The station, its managers and employees are fully committed to Scottish Power and the IBERDROLA Group’s environmental policies and principles. We are also committed to the ScottishPower Generation’s “Respect the Environment goal”, ensuring we minimise our environmental impacts, preventing pollution wherever possible. Our Environmental Management System details the responsibilities and procedures for ensuring the requirements of all environmental legislation and company policies are complied with using a documented and maintained system. Longannet will measure, monitor and audit its environmental performance; working together with the business environment team and, where appropriate, set achievable targets for continual improvement. As a minimum standard we shall:  Fully comply with or improve on legislative and r e g u l a t o ry requirements  Consider environmental impacts as part of our decision making and integrate these with

scrubbing our SO2 emissions from three units challenges – but most importantly, they were business planning by up to 94% and enabling us to comply with delivered safely and will improve our  Aim for zero breaches of consent and the IED’s limits on sulphur. performance going forward. community complaints, setting realistic reduction Unit 1 FGD operated for much of the year This year’s Eco-Management Audit targets year on year  Strive for continuous improvement in and the reduction in SO2 emissions from the Scheme (EMAS) Statement contains a unit has been dramatic. We can look forward mixture of success stories from a busy year in environmental performance as detailed in an to FGD being commissioned on Units 2 and 3 the life of Longannet – and an outline of annual environmental plan  Minimise our emissions to air, land and water in the year ahead. some of our actions to secure our future in  Minimise our usage of resources by promoting the months ahead. The station also benefited from a multi- the three “Rs” – Reduce, Re-use and Recycle There were also occasions in 2012 when we million pound investment in 2012 to improve  Optimise plant efficiency to reduce our fuel Units 2 and 4. did not meet our own high expectations – consumption and minimise pollution The scope of outage work for Unit 2 was, in these are reported too, along with what we  Ensure that all contractors are aware of, fact, the largest we have seen at the station are doing to up our performance. understand and meet our minimum for many years and included the replacement In many ways, 2013 will be a defining year environmental standards of some of the station’s original components for Longannet – but we will continue  Identify environmental training requirements for the first time. operating with one eye on a long-term future and provide adequate resources to deliver them Our outages were not without their while continuing to deliver for today. Continue our strong relationship with the local c o m m u n i t y, keeping them informed of our o p e r a t i o n s  C a r ry out regular management reviews to demonstrate our commitment and to track progress on our environmental performance. page 04

Our Operations in 2012 : Longannet performed strongly and made the most of market opportunities arising from wind generation

Longannet Power Station is owned and operated by ScottishPower Generation Holdings Ltd, which is part of the IBERDROLA Group. With its landmark 183-metre chimney, Longannet is the second largest coal-fired station in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. The station, which has an installed capacity of 2,400 MW generated from four 600 MW units, has played an important role in meeting Scotland’s energy needs since 1972 and became fully operational in 1973. Longannet is principally a coal station but, when necessary, combustion can be supported by firing natural gas. The station’s generated output increased slightly during the year – from 9,139 GWh in 2011 to a new total of 9,525 GWh in the current reporting period (a load factor of about 50%). However, a number of factors affecting the station’s availability and performance meant our initial budget figure for generated output was not attained. For a second consecutive year, Longannet participated in Constrained Management contracts operated by the National Grid, while upgrading work was carried out on the transmission system between Scotland and England. The network improvements reduced system capacity on the grid and, at times during spring and early summer, units at Longannet were shut down in agreement with the grid extended beyond their target finish dates. The transition weld repairs on Unit 4 operators. The scope of work for the outage on Unit 2 underlines ScottishPower’s commitment to Scotland’s growing renewable energy capacity was the largest undertaken on any unit at process safety – protecting our people, assets continues to have an increasing influence on Longannet for several years and included a and the environment from major hazards. the way that Longannet is required to operate range of boiler improvements and the ScottishPower is acknowledged as an industry by National Grid, who have to balance energy replacement of the station’s original HP turbine leader in process safety. supply with demand. steam chest and generation transformer. Our electronic Cintellate recording system By September 2012, Scotland had 3,811 MW The shorter Unit 4 outage was scheduled as a continued to play a valuable role in 2012, by of installed onshore and offshore wind statutory inspection along with additional work improving how staff record, investigate and generation capacity. Wind generation streams to carry out maintenance to close-out environmental and safety incidents capacity will continue to grow sharply minimise boiler tube leaks and and near-misses. in the near future, with a further Longannet improve its overall reliability. A major success in 2012 was the 12,307 MW already under ceased co-firing During the Unit 4 shutdown, a commissioning of Flue Gas Desulphurisation construction, consented or in biomass material with routine inspection discovered (FGD) on Unit 1 to scrub our emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO ) by around 94%. the planning process for coal in 2012. In the past cracking in the boiler’s 2 onshore sites in Scotland and we have consumed Waste transition welds that join Unit 1 FGD began in regular service in March, around the coast. allowing station staff to become familiar with its Derived Fuel (WDF) and areas of high-grade steel with a lower-grade material. operation and how it interacts with the During periods of plentiful sawdust pellets – but we winds, when conditions are The most serious cracks environment, and the abatement technology is ceased using WDF in April suitable for wind generation, required immediate repair, already achieving dramatic improvements in SO2 and no other biomass National Grid has, on occasions, extending the outage period, emissions from the unit. negotiated output to be lowered at was sourced. and the unit will be taken off again Commissioning started on Unit 2 FGD in Longannet and even for units to be in 2013 for further work to renew the December and by the end of 2013 we should taken out of service for a specified period. welds. have all three of our FGD units in operation and The station achieved 159 starts in 2012 as it In addition, issues were experienced with the fully commissioned. came on load and off again, in many cases in reliability and availability of Unit 2 and Unit 3 in We continue to implement a low-sulphur coal response to the fluctuating levels of renewable spring 2012 as a result of boiler fouling issues strategy for Unit 4, which is not fitted with FGD. output. However, this total was around a third (see page nine). Longannet consumed 4,138 ktonnes of coal less (31%) compared with the record 232 starts As a result of these challenges, our availability in 2012 – the highest figure since 2002-03 – and in 2011. rate reduced from 84.5% in 2011 to 77% in almost half of our supply (47%) was sourced Availability was also constrained as a result of 2012 – although the station has benefited from from Scottish mines. We continue to import planned outage work on Units 2 and 4, both of a range of projects that will ensure better quantities of low and medium-sulphur coals which commenced in June and had to be performance going forward. from Russia and Colombia respectively. page 05

Environmental Management: The station’s EMS provides the structure and systems for ongoing environmental improvement

Longannet’s Environmental Management System (EMS) ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY is certified to the International Standard for EMS, ISO 14001: 2004. The EMS provides the structure and systems for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining our Environmental Policy. Its main E N V I RO N M E N TAL RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED components are shown in the diagram (right). The station’s Aspects & Impacts register documents the impacts or potential impacts of our operations and activities – past, present and future – under normal, abnormal and emergency conditions and using defined Identification Continual criteria that are publicly available. of significant improvement Longannet has identified all of its legal requirements impacts and maintains a register that is available for stakeholders to view on request. The station successfully underwent a full ISO14001: 2004 recertification audit at the beginning of 2012, providing certification until 2015. In line with parent company IBERDROLA introducing EMERGENCY common systems and processes throughout its thermal PROCEDURES Environmental Annual objectives stations, Longannet moved to AENOR as certification Control to reduce impact provider for ISO 14001 in early 2012. Procedures Preparations are well in hand for the next step in this process, which is to move to an Integrated Management System (IMS) covering the ScottishPower liberalised Training, businesses, Generation and Retail. awareness and The first integrated internal audit took place in communication November 2012 when ScottishPower’s UK Technical Services department examined housekeeping, recording of environmental complaints and emergency procedures. The audit found significant improvements had been Audit and made to housekeeping – part of the Team Longannet corrective action programme – including the renewal of the fixed vacuum point system to reduce airborne dust. Feedback Feedback It found that management of environmental to system to system complaints was robust and comprehensive and good work had been achieved on emergency preparedness. A small number of non-conformances and A N N UAL REVIEW improvement actions were raised and addressed. An external audit of Longannet’s Integrated Management System will take place in March/April 2013 The Environmental Team is an integrated part of the Production Department at Longannet Power Station. Team members meet regularly with management and liaise with employees and contractors to achieve continual improvement in the station’s environmental performance through the promotion of a 10-point list of green behaviours. Green behaviour topics were rolled out monthly to site personnel in 2012 and the environment team prepared Toolbox Talks on subjects including reporting faults and incidents, and the serious implications of burning waste on site. The Toolbox Talks were supported by poster campaigns and articles in the station’s Newsline internal newsletter. The Environment Team provides a first response to any environmental incidents and carries out site checks and inspections to ensure compliance with our PPC Permits. The team assists our regulator SEPA, on any issues arising at the station, including the annual auditing for the Compliance Assessment Scheme (CAS) – see page six. A new SEPA inspector was appointed for Longannet and was hosted on a series of familiarisation visits to the station. The team also manages the Aspects & Impacts register and Members of Longannet Power Station Environment Team, from left, Richard specialist staff can also be co-opted to attend meetings to address the Christie, Richard Steventon, Moira Campbell, Stewart Dettlaff and Jim Redfern environmental aspects of specific projects, such as FGD. page 06

Key Issues: Longannet operates within strict European legislation that is designed to minimise our emissions to land, water and air

Pollution Prevention & Control Longannet operates under conditions set out in Our Compliance Assessment Rating 2012 a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit that is issued and monitored by the Scottish SEPA introduced its Compliance Assessment Scheme (CAS) in 2009 as a way of assessing an Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under operator’s compliance with permits, authorisations and licences, including PPC. the Pollution Prevention and Control The overall compliance band awarded is based on an operator’s performance measured Regulations 2000. by two conditions: Environmental Limit Conditions (ELC) which relate to emissions limits and These regulations remain applicable to reporting and Environmental Management Conditions (EMC) that relate to management procedures being in place and observed, to ensure environmental protection. existing sites such as Longannet until January 7th 2014 when they will be superseded by the Performance against the EMC band can range from High to Low. The overall site compliance rating combines ELC and EMC performance in a matrix that rates the operator’s Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) overall performance in a range of Excellent to Poor. Regulations 2012, which will come into force for operators of new plants on January 7th 2013. Longannet Power Station’s CAS rating under the EMC was High Performance and the overall compliance rating was Good for the fourth consecutive year. The rating was The PPC Regulations are driven by the EU’s influenced by two reportable noise incidents in July (see the Noise section on page 18); a Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control minor oil release from emission point W10 that, although not breaching the discharge limit, (IPPC) Directive and require the use of Best SEPA classified as an Environmental Event; and Units 1 and 2 SO2 emissions being above the Available Techniques (BAT) to eliminate or target of 400mg/m3 as set by PPC Permit variation VN04 (which extended the FGD minimise all polluting emissions. commissioning period). For the first time, Valleyfield Lagoons’ CAS compliance rating fell The PPC permit covers emissions to air, land from Excellent to Good – this was as a result of a breach of suspended solid discharge and water, as well as noise, vibration and heat emissions that occurred in December (see page 17). Also in 2012, the operation of Longannet loss. It also covers the use of energy and raw Lagoons under its waste management licence was subject to a CAS audit for the first time – materials, waste reduction and the management resulting in Excellent and High Performance scores in the relevant categories. of potential environmental risks. A PPC permit for the operation of the power station was secured in 2007, along with a permit being issued for the remaining active In addition, Longannet has a monitoring station separate PPC permit for the operation of lagoon at Longannet, Lagoon No.2. at Blair Mains to monitor and record local air Valleyfield Ash Lagoons. Under PPC permit conditions, and as required quality, specifically any effect on local air quality A key element of Longannet’s PPC activities is by the LCPD, Longannet must continuously with regard to SO2. the control of emissions. Longannet is opted-in measure the emissions going up the station Longannet also has an aqueous discharge to the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) chimney. monitoring programme to monitor compliance via the National Emission Reduction Plan (NERP). Station staff must check the Continuous with the PPC permit emissions limits set for the Under the NERP, the station has been set Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) station’s nine permitted emission points to the finite annual emission allowances, or ‘bubbles’ instrumentation regularly to ensure they stay Forth Estuary. within their calibrated ranges. The instruments Results are reported to SEPA each quarter, or for SO2, NOX and dust (or particulate matter). Emission allowances can be traded with other must also undergo annual testing, by an immediately should any exceedance of a limit NERP participating sites, however, the national independent testing company, to verify their be detected. ‘bubble’ is set to ensure an overall reduction in accuracy and compliance with the European All necessary 2012 reports were submitted on the UK’s emissions. standard EN14181. time to SEPA. The Agency carries out regular In the final quarter of 2012, the station Emissions to air are recorded via the station’s independent sampling and analysis of applied for a variation to its PPC permit to revise Multiple Emissions Reporting System (MERS) and discharges to air and water, and its officers meet the formal commissioning dates for FGD on reported to SEPA, as required by the PPC permit. regularly with station staff to discuss permit Units 2 and 3 to March and December 2013 conditions, Best Available Techniques and to respectively. Longannet has explained to SEPA conduct site inspections as part of the the cause of the requested timescale extension, Compliance Assessment Scheme (CAS). which relates to the additional workload and time considerations involved in the extended Global Climate Change Unit 2 2012 outage and the resulting slippage in In 2012, Longannet prepared for the launch of planning for 2013’s outage on Unit 3. the third phase of the EU Emissions Trading Longannet Ash Lagoons (a separate site to System (EU ETS). Valleyfield Ash Lagoons) continued in 2012 to EU ETS is the primary mechanism for driving a operate as a waste transfer station under a reduction of 20% in carbon dioxide (CO2) modified Waste Management Licence. emissions across power generation and heavy The lagoons have been refused a PPC permit industry throughout Europe by 2020. due to concerns that the depth of the The system imposes a price on carbon to impermeable clay layer beneath the ash in one encourage companies to reduce their section of Lagoon No.1 may be insufficient. operational emissions and invest in lower Ash deposition ceased at Lagoon No.1 in 2007 carbon technologies. At Longannet, operators and the station is drawing up plans in strive to minimise overall CO2 emissions per consultation with SEPA to withdraw the lagoon GWh by ensuring the plant is operated as from future service, as it is thought it will no efficiently as possible. longer be needed for future ash storage and Under EU ETS, an overall CO2 cap is set and disposal. Station management continued talks A specialist contractor carries out maintenance carbon allowances are distributed through a with SEPA in 2012 about the possibility of a PPC on Unit 2 feed pump during the major outage National Allocation Plan (NAP). These may be page 07

Station staff and contractors supervise as a massive turbine rotor is lifted into position on Unit 2 during the major outage that started in 2012 – see page 14

used in respect of CO2 emissions from their amended Climate Change Levy regime. the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), which allocated plant, or traded. The carbon floor price will comprise the comes into force from January 1st 2016 and will When Phase 3 EU ETS starts on January 1st current cost of EU ETS allowances plus a tax – require coal-fired power stations to install

2013, free allocation of CO2 allowances will known as the carbon price support mechanism further abatement technologies. effectively cease for single-purpose electricity (CPSM) – based on the average carbon content The IED will consolidate seven existing generating stations such as Longannet. of fossil fuels delivered to the station. directives, including the LCPD, the IPPC Directive This will mean that, going forward, UK generators were waiting at the end of and the Waste Incineration Directive (WID) into ScottishPower must purchase all the carbon 2012 for final confirmation of how the carbon one cohesive piece of legislation. allowances required to match Longannet’s CO2 support price will be calculated but it is The directive focuses on limiting air pollutants emissions. anticipated that Longannet will be able to use such as SO2, NOX and dust and will significantly Phase 3 will also introduce more rigorous the same data collection methods as are tighten emission limit values for large monitoring and reporting methodologies that currently used for EU ETS combustion plants and other industries require additional supporting procedures and The CPSM will effectively be a top-up tax to throughout the EU. It also strengthens the concept of Best Available Technology (BAT) in greater CO2 sampling frequencies. Some ensure the cost of emitting CO2 does not drop additional small emission sources will also be below a certain, floor, level. controlling emissions and introduces new included under Phase 3, such as CO2 emissions The carbon floor price has been designed by requirements for monitoring, plant inspections from the propane gas used during maintenance the UK Government to drive investment in low- and compliance reporting. welding work. carbon technologies. However, it will Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD), which is Longannet’s robust management system significantly increase costs incurred by coal- operational on two units and undergoing final already meets many of the new elements of fired stations, such as Longannet. construction on a third unit at Longannet, will Phase 3 but, during the year, we detailed our ensure the station can comply with SO2 emission approach to the tougher regime in our limits set by the forthcoming IED. However, the application to SEPA for a new Phase 3 Acidification & Air Quality station must invest in additional abatement Power stations must control emissions to air of Greenhouse Gas permit. technology to reduce its emissions of NOX to EU ETS requires each eligible installation to SO2, NOX and particulate (dust) under the terms comply with the future limits. produce an annual Greenhouse Gas emissions of the LCPD and the IPPC Directive. As a general rule, installations such as report for the previous calendar year, which SO2 and NOX emissions affect air quality and Longannet have until 2016 to comply with the must be externally verified and submitted to the can disrupt ecosystems through acid rain stricter emission limits or opt-out of the IED. regulator by the end of March. Allowances equal damage to vegetation and watercourses. Operators must decide by December 2013 if to these verified emissions must then be Along with ozone and fugitive dust they wish to opt out of IED and commit to surrendered by the end of April. emissions, they have also been linked with limited hours of operation, within the emission Meanwhile, the UK Government is set to respiratory conditions and may be harmful to limits set by the LCPD, and closure by the end of introduce a carbon floor price on fossil fuel human health. 2023. Under a third option, a plant could opt-in generators from 1st April 2013 as part of the Emission limits will be further constrained by by entering into a Transitional National Plan page 08

(TNP) from 2016 to June 2020. Longannet has will also improve combustion efficiency, due to indicated to DEFRA it intends joining the TNP more thorough burning of fuel, reduce the and will continue to explore suitable NOX amount of unburned coal in ash and promote reduction technologies. the longevity of the boiler and its components The TNP is designed to allow operators time due to the relatively cooler furnace conditions. to comply with the stricter IED limits although The technology, which is expected to reduce 3 they would have to operate within emissions NOX emissions to between 300 and 350mg/Nm , limits set by the TNP. It is anticipated the TNP will be fitted during the Unit 3 outage in 2013. It would operate in a similar way to the current will then undergo a period of evaluation in the NERP, with tradable emission limit bubbles latter part of the year. being set for SO2, NOX and dust. The results will help inform ScottishPower’s decision whether or not to enter Longannet into

NOX reduction technologies the TNP, following which the technology could A key area of focus for Longannet in recent years be rolled out to the station’s other three units. Further NOX abatement will be required, has been exploring ways to reduce its NOX emissions to less than 200mg/Nm3 to meet the however, to meet the new IED limit and the stricter limits of the forthcoming IED. station is investigating fitting a trial Selective In 2013, the station will move towards a Non Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) injection plant strategic solution that combines improved on Unit 3 in 2013. monitoring of combustion conditions in the This would inject ammonia into the top of the station’s furnaces with changes to the way that furnace where it would react chemically with pulverised fuel is supplied and burned in the nitrous oxide, producing elemental nitrogen and boiler. water. The technologies have been proved at coal plants in Spain operated by our parent company Boosted Over Fire Air (BOFA) IBERDROLA and their competitors. Longannet’s four units continue to benefit from

All four boilers at Longannet will be fitted with BOFA technology that is designed to reduce NOX automatic gas sampling equipment in 2013. emissions by up to 25%. Eight sample probes will be installed in the boiler BOFA helps ensure the station remains within wall above the eight columns of coal burners on the NOX emission limit of 1.8 Te/GWh as set by each unit. the PPC permit (equivalent to the monthly These will analyse combustion gases at average limit of 500mg/Nm3 set by the LCPD regular intervals, providing operators with a real- until the end of 2015). time feedback on combustion conditions. This However, there have been historical issues will enable controls to be fine tuned to ensure relating to the reliability of the BOFA system and combustion is balanced across the furnace, in 2012 a station-led project team liaised with reducing the conditions for NOX formation and the turnkey supplier to seek ways of optimising ensuring the most efficient use of fuel. its availability and performance. Meanwhile, as part of the second stream of Repairs were made sequentially to cracking on work in 2013, modifications will be made to the BOFA’s fan impellor cones following vibration pipework that carries pulverised fuel from the issues that were noted in 2011 and project staff coal mills to the Unit 3 boiler to improve the have attempted to fine tune hardware and overall flexibility of supplying fuel to the software interlocks and calibrate the vanes that furnace. control the BOFA Fan throughput. The top row of the boiler’s four rows of It is expected that work carried out as part of a At the outset, the strategy recognises that the burners will no longer be used to burn coal mill optimisation strategy, to increase coal types now consumed by the station have a pulverised fuel with the result that the coal secondary air flow, will finally create the right higher calorific value than those used when the fireball will occur lower in the furnace. conditions for BOFA to operate as designed and, plant was first built. As a result, less fuel needs This will provide coal particles with greater going forward, to compliment the new NOX to be burned to achieve Longannet’s original residence time to burn, helping minimise reduction technologies being installed at design full load. thermal NO formation. It will also reduce the Longannet in 2013. X The coals now being supplied are, however, temperature in the higher part of the more resistant to grinding in the coal mills –the furnace and thus prevent any overheating Mill Optimisation measure of coal hardness is the Hardgrove of the superheater pendants. Strategy Index, the lower the Hardgrove Index value the Meanwhile, the output from the coal A formal strategy to improve harder the coal is to grind – with the result that mills serving the redundant burners (A and the performance of the pulverised fuel supplied to the furnace is H) will be redirected through Longannet’s coal mills was currently more coarse compared with the new pulverised fuel launched in September 2012. original station requirements. pipework to feed the lower three The long-term project is The strategy will move the plant towards burner rows to critical to the success of the delivering a more finely ground fuel with each provide additional new low NOX system being individual coal mill grinding a lower tonnage of mill capacity and trialled at the station and coal, with an increase from six to seven better flexibility. part of a combustion operational mills and modifications to ensure workstream This will give mill fuel/air flow velocities are maintained. aimed at unit operators the A similar strategy implemented at Cockenzie ensuring the ability to create Power Station in East Lothian resulted in longevity of oxygen-lean areas improved combustion of the finer coal particles, Longannet low down in the furnace better efficiency, a reduction in NOX and carbon beyond that promotes the monoxide (CO) emissions and less temperature 2020. formation of elemental stress on the boiler and its components, diatomic nitrogen (N2) rather than NO . The project X Station Chemist Tony Corless with a sample of the boiler clinker page 09

Teams tackle boiler fouling

Station teams pulled together the densest areas of clinker, to restore unit availability after and the maintenance and boiler fouling on Units 2 and 3 engineering teams brought in spring 2012 resulted in back into service the boiler challenging operating slope long lance sootblowers. conditions. Meanwhile, the station began An investigation by a regime of dropping load to Longannet’s production team 300MW overnight across all identified the cause and a four units on alternate nights. solution, while staff and Thermally cycling the boilers contractors engaged in a major in this way causes any clinker clean-up operation to remove to cool and naturally drop off hundreds of tonnes of the boiler components. accumulated clinker. Monitoring of boiler The root problem was temperatures using a thermal identified as a failure of imaging camera was an sootblowers, which remove important part of the project soot and dust from the furnace and checks are carried out daily surfaces, combined with the to identify any further fouling – blends of coals that the units which is removed regularly were supplied with. when the unit is taken off load. As a result, excessively high Clinker build up can also flue gas temperatures were affect combustion conditions present in the boiler and and can occlude the gas path molten ash from coal through the boiler, with an condensed and accumulated, impact on emissions such as

forming clinker, on boiler tubes NOX, CO and dust. and platen superheater The excessive temperatures pendants. experienced can also put strain The units were taken off load on the boiler and its and cleaned, with workers components, affecting asset using jackhammers to remove life.

Station Chemist Tony Corless carries out checks with a thermal imaging camera and, inset, build up of clinker around boiler tubes

improving asset longevity. Implementing the SO2 emission limit – but it was identified that the The FGD absorber on Unit 1 began in regular mill optimisation strategy will involve a project combustion of such fuels appeared to service in March and was fully commissioned in team that comprises personnel from encourage higher NOX concentrations. December 2012. Unit 2 FGD operated engineering, maintenance, operations and Trials were carried out in spring 2012 intermittently in the first six months and started chemistry. By the end of 2013, it is anticipated involving subtle changes to the fuel mix for Unit its formal commissioning phase when the unit that pulverised fuel throughput and fineness 4 and, towards the end of the year, the unit came back in December after its major outage. will have been optimised on 80% of the station’s began being supplied with a blend of 80% low- The technique used by Longannet is Seawater mills, with the project 100% complete by April sulphur Russian coal and 20% Scottish coal to Scrubbing FGD that uses the inherent alkaline

2014. control NOX while enabling the unit to properties of seawater to absorb and neutralise

remain within its SO2 emissions limit. acidic SO2. It works by bringing the seawater which has already been used as Longannet’s NOX performance in 2012 By the end of All units at Longannet met their condenser cooling water, into close contact with 2013, as a result of the annual mass NOX emission limits Significant effort by station the flue gases in purpose-built absorber towers teams in 2012 has identified a Coal Mill Optimisation work in 2012 and the overall station stream, it is anticipated emissions in tonnes/GWh to absorb the SO2, resulting in harmless soluble solution to reduce NOX sulphate ( SO ) that can be discharged back to emissions from Longannet pulverised fuel throughput reduced slightly from 1.68 in 4 and fineness will have been 2011 to 1.66 in 2012. the Forth Estuary. Unit 4. The unit has The process does not require chemicals – only historically experienced optimised on 80% of the station’s mills, with the Flue Gas seawater and air are used – and safeguards are higher NOX emission levels in place to ensure the discharged seawater compared with its sister units project 100% complete Desulphurisation by April 2014. complies fully with environmental regulations. and this resulted in a minor breach FGD is designed to ensure Operators have seen significant reductions in of the plant’s PPC permit limits in Longannet can comply with emission SO emissions – the end-of-year figures indicate 2011. 2 limits for SO2 set by both the LCPD and the that Unit 1 produced 5,000 tonnes of SO2 during A project team was set up to investigate the forthcoming IED. 2012 while Unit 3 produced 19,000 tonnes issue and Improve control of Unit 4’s For the first time in 2012, the station was able operating at a similar output. combustion performance to reduce NOX to operate consistently with two absorber Across all four units, the station’s SO2 formation. pumps in operation, supplying seawater to emissions reduced by 13% from 3.9 tonnes per Unit 4 is not being fitted with FGD and scrub around 94% of the SO2 emissions on Units GWh in 2011 to 3.4 tonnes per GWh in 2012. requires a low-sulphur coal diet to stay within its 1 and 2 and with high levels of availability. Nevertheless, there was a minor breach of SO2 page 10

emission limits on Units 1 and 2 which were continued to ramp up the use of indigenous coal above the target of 400mg/m3 as set by PPC to levels that have not been recorded since the Permit variation VN04 (which extended the FGD former Longannet Mine closed in 2002. commissioning period) in September and May Our fuel procurement team also continue to respectively. operate on the world market to secure stocks of Construction work to rebuild Unit 3’s FGD medium-sulphur coals from Colombia and low- absorber that was damaged by fire in 2010 was sulphur fuels from Russia to support the approaching completion by the end of 2012 and station’s coal strategy. moving towards full commissioning by Our coal plant operator has a key role in December 2013. Work will be carried out to ‘tie managing stocks and sending the correct “diet” in’ the absorber to Unit 3 during next year’s of fuel to each of the station’s units to ensure major outage. compliance with sulphur emission limits and the Meanwhile, the FGD system benefited in 2012 effective operation of the units’ boilers. from the return to service of two refurbished From late 2012, this has included sending a seawater absorber pumps that work to push blend of Russian coal with 20% higher-sulphur 20,000 tonnes of seawater per hour through Scottish coal to Unit 4, which is not fitted with each absorber. FGD sulphur abatement, to help minimise its Vibration issues as a result of degraded NOX emissions whilst still fully complying with bearings were experienced on all four pumps in the Low Sulphur Strategy agreed with SEPA as 2011. All should be back in operation after an Best Available Technique (BAT) for sulphur overhaul by their manufacturer in Germany by control at Longannet. spring 2013, in time for the start of FGD During the year, 77% of the station’s total coal operations on all three installed units at supplies were delivered by rail from Hunterston Longannet. Terminal in Ayrshire, where foreign stocks are Meanwhile, four self-cleaning in-line strainers offloaded, and the Ravenstruther coal rail have been installed on the discharge side of the terminal in South Lanarkshire that serves as a absorber pumps between December 2011 and hub for opencast mines in Ayrshire. October 2012. The strainers are required to Lorries supplied the rest of our coal from prevent marine debris from reaching the FGD mines in Lanarkshire and Fife. absorbers and potentially blocking the nozzles This coal is delivered to 4,000-tonne capacity which create the spray inside the absorbers to Exchange Hopper, at the northwest end of the ensure maximum contact between the site, where it is crushed and sampled before combustion gasses and the seawater. joining with the rest of the coal for delivery to Each strainer can remove 70 tonnes of marine the units by conveyor belt. debris per hour from the extracted water and The coal delivery and handling operations they are improving the effective flow of water feeding the Exchange Hopper are controlled by supply for FGD by removing the need for fine the Scottish Coal Company Limited (SCCL), filters on the inlets to the absorber pumps. under a separate Part B PPC Permit issued by SEPA. It was identified that having filters on the inlets to the absorber pumps was contributing During 2012, the station trialled coal varieties Coal Procurement from the South Appalachians in the United to the pump vibration issues in 2011. ScottishPower’s coal procurement activities are States and from new suppliers in Colombia. now fully integrated within IBERDROLA’s global It is a requirement of our PPC permit that any energy management section. Coal Management potential new fuels are thoroughly tested to Our parent company sources around seven Longannet consumed 4,138 ktonnes of coal in confirm they will have no impact on the station’s million tonnes of coal each year that is suitable 2012 – approaching 10% more than in 2011 baseline emissions. for Longannet and its three coal stations in (3,781 ktonnes) and the highest figure since The new Colombian and American stocks Spain, providing economies of scale and 4,160 ktonnes were burned in 2002-03. We were trialled successfully and have been valuable synergies. included in the station’s fuel portfolio. Shiploads of coal can be redirected to Scotland or Spain, as necessary, while in transit Supply Chain to ensure security of supply. Management Longannet obtained 47% of its The majority of Longannet’s Almost half (47%) coal from Scottish suppliers in purchasing is undertaken by, of the coal we used in 2011 – up from 38% in 2011. or with assistance from, 2012 – almost two million Just 20% of coal was sourced ScottishPower’s central tonnes – was sourced from locally in 2009. ScottishPower Procurement Department. Scottish opencast mines in has a number of long-standing The Procurement Team is Central Scotland, helping coal-supply agreements in committed to maintaining reduce our coal miles and place with suppliers who compliance against UK and supporting local jobs and operate opencast mines in Fife, European legislation and codes, communities. Lothians, Lanarkshire and and demonstrating this as part of Ayrshire. the authorisation process for each Using local coals reduces the contract. station’s dependency on imports and Our standard approach to supplier pre- significantly reduces the carbon footprint of qualification and tender evaluation includes “coal miles”. assessing the environmental, social and ethical ScottishPower is a member of the Association credentials of potential suppliers, as well as of UK Coal Importers and our representatives ensuring financial value. have helped produce guidelines on standards of We use the Achilles Utilities Vendor Database corporate social responsibility for those involved Verify scheme – a second stage supplier in the coal importation supply chain. The Unit 3 FGD absorber rebuild continued during verification and assessment scheme for high- Assessing new, potential suppliers not 2012 towards a commissioning date in late 2013 risk contracts. covered by the Achilles database may involve page 11

visits to overseas operations. We also deal with reputable traders who source coal from multiple mines and incorporate anti-corruption and anti- bribery clauses into our contracts.

Waste Derived Fuel SEPA formally withdrew an enforcement notice against Longannet in 2012 after the station ceased co-firing Waste Derived Fuel (WDF) with coal. Pelletised WDF from the Daldowie Sludge Drying Facility, near Glasgow, has been co-fired at the station since 2002. However, final deliveries took place at the start of 2012 and co-firing ceased by the end of April. SEPA issued its enforcement notice as Longannet is not compliant with the EC’s Waste Incineration Directive (WID). This followed a court ruling in 2005 that defined WDF as a waste rather than a fuel. ScottishPower explored alternative uses for WDF, including constructing a dedicated biomass-to-energy power station at Longannet. However, the pellets are now being supplied as a fuel in WID-compliant cement kilns operated by Lafarge, providing continued beneficial reuse of the pellets to produce energy. ScottishPower received confirmation from SEPA on October 18th 2012 that the Enforcement Notice was withdrawn as of the October 9th 2012. A total of 10,465 tonnes of WDF was co-fired at Longannet in the first four months of the reporting period. The station has not co-fired any other biomass products in 2012.

Use of Energy Cooling water returned to the discharge flume is monitored to ensure it meets permitted standards Station teams replaced Unit 2’s original generation transformer during 2012 with a more efficient model that will improve overall Understanding FGD water chemistry efficiency. The massive 280-tonne transformer, which Longannet’s chemists have gained greater levels of acidity and dissolved oxygen converts the station’s power output before it is knowledge during 2012 of the dynamics of concentrations in the water being returned exported via the National Grid, was approaching FGD and how the system interacts with the to the estuary via the cooling water 40-years old and had reached the end of its Forth Estuary. discharge flume. operational life. Seawater Scrubbing FGD uses the A bypass system opens automatically as A bespoke transformer was manufactured for inherent alkaline properties of seawater to permitted levels are approached and Longannet by Dutch company Smit and installed absorb and neutralise acidic SO from the diverts a proportion of the flue gases along with new water and oil cooling pipework 2 during the outage on Unit 2. Weighing in at 320 station’s flue gases. containing SO to the chimney. 2 tonnes before it is filled with oil, the equipment The operation of Unit 1 FGD absorber If the control systems detect that was manoeuvred into position on a 14-axle from March 2012 has enabled station permitted levels are about to be exceeded, single-point mooring trailer. chemists to monitor how the safeguards the automatic protection system initiates, The new transformer is 150kW or 7.5% more built into the control system operate to resulting in the FGD process being fully efficient than its predecessor (based on test ensure there is no adverse impact on the bypassed – as happened for the first time certificates for the original transformer from Forth or the FGD plant. in December 2012 during a period of high 1972), resulting in energy consumption savings rainfall and low tides. At low tides or during periods of high and improvements in overall sent-out power. rainfall or snow melt, the alkalinity levels in Going forward, the monitoring will be The generator transformer on Unit 3 will be seawater can fall below the level required critical when three FGD absorbers are in replaced with a refurbished transformer of the to operate FGD without potentially service towards the end of 2013. original design during the 2013 outage impacting on water quality in the estuary. Station chemist Tony Corless said: “We’ve programme while station management are Greater use of coals that have a higher learned a lot and are continuing to learn. looking at options for similar work for Unit 4. sulphur content can also upset the We are testing the assumptions made Although not as efficient as the new design important chemical balance, although during the modelling for FGD and gaining installed on Unit 2, the refurbished transformer alkalinity levels in the Forth are naturally understanding of the process. will still deliver improved performance replenished with each high tide. “Our online instruments are accurate and compared with the current transformer. Remote online sensors constantly reliable and we are building up confidence The station’s operational electricity use monitor the variation of alkalinity of water the safeguards will protect the plant and increased to 599 GWh in 2012 – a slight rise being extracted from the Forth and the estuary during adverse conditions.”  CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 page 12

5 . 0 Our processes: Our inputs and outputs and SO2 (Te/GWh) 4 . 5 our interaction with other businesses on site 4 . 0

3 . 5

 Longannet burns Scottish coal that is delivered leaving the turbines is converted back to water in 3 . 0 by rail and road, and foreign low-sulphur coal, the condensers then re-circulated back to the 2 . 5 that is imported by ship then delivered to boilers. Longannet by rail. The coal is ground to a fine  Water from the Forth Estuary is used for ash 2 . 0 powder in the milling plant before being burned transportation and cooling purposes. It is then 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 in the boiler – 4,138 ktonnes of coal were burned returned to the river. Strictly controlled amounts in 2012. of chemicals are added to inhibit rust and  In 2012, Longannet stopped co-firing WDF with prevent the growth of mussels and other marine CO2 (kTe/GWh) coal from the end of April. A total of 10 ktonnes organisms. 1.0 of WDF were burned in the first three months. Discharges to the estuary are monitored The station has not co-fired other biomass regularly and controlled by discharge consents, 0.95 products,such as wood pellets, as a fuel since conditions of which are set by SEPA. 2010.  Electrostatic precipitators (ESP) capture dust 0.90  Gas for start-up and combustion support from the boiler flue gases and prevent it arrives at the station via a pipeline that links into reaching the atmosphere via the chimney. Other 0.85 Transco’s gas transmission system. It passes control techniques, such as dampening, are also 0.80 through a pressure-reducing facility, managed used around the site, especially at the ash 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 by Greystar, before being injected into the boiler. lagoons and coal plant, to control fugitive dust  Water for steam generation comes from the emissions. 3 . 0 townswater supply and is purified using a  In 2012, Longannet supplied 9,525 GWh NOX (Te/GWh) strictly-controlled amount of chemicals. Steam of electricity for ScottishPower. 2 . 5 FUEL USE 2 . 0 2012 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 1 . 5

Gas Use 41.6 Mm3 m3/GWh 4,116 11,315 14,769 19,041 21,508 1 . 0

GJ/GWh 155 406 531 668 775 0 . 5

Coal Use 4,138 kTe Te/GWh 409 390 384 364 369 0 GJ/GWh 9,683 9,247 9,121 8,691 8,864 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 WDF 10.4 kTe Te/GWh 1.035 3.834 4.372 5.209 7.184 0.140 GJ/GWh 15 59 68 80 107 0.120 HCl (T e / G W h ) Biomass Use 0 Te/GWh 0 0 1 2 2 0.100 GJ/GWh 0 0 17 39 36 0.080 ELECTRICITY AND TOWNSWATER USE 0.060 2012 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 0.040 Electricity Use 599 GWh GWh/GWh 0.063 0.062 0.057 0.056 0.05 0.020 Townswater Use 2.45 Mm3 m3/GWh 258 245 252 252 262 0 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 Boreholewater Use 0.43 Mm3 m3/GWh 45.2 37.3 45.1 65.8 76.6 0.1 Particulates (Te/GWh) T R A N S P O RT AND HEATING FUEL 0.09

2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 0.08

Unleaded Petrol (l) 87 166 178 113 279 0.07

Transport Diesel* (l) 18,382 19,024 21,253 17,484 16,108 0.06

Plant Diesel* (l) 716,640 694,531 1,004,527 1,085,385 1,041,181 0.05

 The way we present diesel use figures was changed in 2007, to separate transport diesel 0.04

from fuel consumed by the plant, including its generators and plant vehicles 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2

30,000 500 0.070

25,000 0.065 450 20,000 0.060

15,000 400 0.055

10,000 0.050 350 5,000 Gas use (m3/GWh) Coal use (Te/GWh) 0.045 Station Energy Use (GWh/GWh)

0 300 0.040 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0 8 2 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 page 13

STACK EMISSIONS EMISSIONS 2012 (TONNES OF EQUIVALENT CO2) Global Warming Tonnes of 2012 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 TONNES Potential equivalent CO2 SO2 34.8 kTe Te/GWh 3.4 4.1 4.6 3.9 3.7

N2O 108.64 298 32,274.7 NOx 16.6 kTe Te/GWh 1.65 1.8 1.5 1.8 2.2 Methane 65.31 25 1,632.8 CO2 9,116 kTe kTe/GWh 0.9571 0.9357 0.9227 0.8952 0.9252 HFCs 0 0 0 Hydrogen Chloride 989 Te Te/GWh 0.104 0.092 0.073 0.054 0.045 PFCs 0 0 0 Particulates 594 Te Te/GWh 0.06 0.081 0.074 0.069 0.061  As per JEP Pollution Inventory 2011 Electricity Supply Industry  Figures for Particulates (dust) includes start-up and shut-down operations Methodology. Factors as per DEFRA/DECC’s 2011 Guidelines

CONDENSERS cooling water (Forth Estuary) cooling water – treated discharges (Forth Estuary) 1.38 x 109 m3 townswater 2,455,396 m3 WATER PROCESS TREATMENT WATER possible environmental noise water treatment PLANT chemicals (by road) TURBINES G E N E R ATO R S electricity sent out 9,525 GWh (Energy Networks), gas (via pipeline, transmission grid Greystar) 41.6 Mm3 site drainage (Forth Estuary) coal 4,138 ktonnes COAL MILLS (imported by ship and potential fugitive dust emissions delivered by train or lorry) emissions to air

SO2 – 34.8 ktonnes

NOx – 16.6 ktonnes E L E C T RO STAT I C CO – 9,116 ktonnes* WDF FGD 2 10.4 ktonnes P R E C I P I TATO R S HCl – 989 tonnes PFA dust – 594 tonnes (582 INPUTS AND tonnes exluding start-up and OUTPUTS 2012 shut-down) * The CO2 figure includes all fuel ASH LAGOONS streams, as reported to SEPA electricity use 599 GWh, FBA including 166 GWh from SETTLEMENT the National Grid and 433 discharge to water (Forth Estuary) PONDS GWh of works power waste handled disposed solid – 1,544 tonnes disposed liquid – 223,213 litres recycled solid – 1,686 tonnes recycled liquid – 295,900 litres transport pulverised fuel ash (PFA) unleaded petrol – 87 litres – 488,516 tonnes produced Area of Site/GWh Electricity Sent Out diesel – 18,382 litres furnace bottom ash (FBA) Land area (for Longannet Power plant – 36,770 tonnes produced Station, Longannet Lagoons and plant diesel (including plant vehicles, mobile Valleyfield Lagoons) = 289 ha plant and generators) – 716,640 litres (none ScotAsh, transported by road 2 of which was used for electricity generation) Area in m /GWh = 303

ASH PRODUCED 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 RECYCLED WASTE AS % OF TOTAL (EXC ASH) Inert PFA (Te) 488,516 422,977 413,295 324,107 269,818 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Inert FBA (Te) 36,770 31,838 31,109 24,395 18,235 Percentage 53 49 37 58 –

WASTE PRODUCED/RECYCLED  In 2012, 488 ktonnes of Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) and 37 ktonnes HAZARDOUS WASTE of Furnace Bottom Ash (FBA) were produced. Some of this ash was 2012 sold by ScotAsh for re-use in construction products and the rest was 2012 sent by pipeline to our ash storage lagoons. Disposed solids (te) 1,544  The station holds appropriate waste management licences and Hazardous liquids (l) 299,590 Disposed liquids (l) 223,2131 exemptions. Since 2008, we have reported on recycled materials as a Non-hazardous liquids (l) 219,523 percentage of our overall waste produced. We recycled 53% of our Recycled solids (te) 1,686 total waste, excluding ash, in 2012. Hazardous solids (Te) 196 Recovered liquids (l) 295,900  Longannet has been reporting our volumes of hazardous and Non-hazardous solids (Te) 3,034 non-hazardous wastes, as required by EMAS, since 2010. page 14

 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 due to planned and breakdown outages to repair the pumps’ gearboxes. This resulted in a reduced volume of CW from 568 GWh the previous year. The 2012 flowing through the condensers, contributing to figure consists of 166 GWh of electricity a drop in back pressure, or vacuum at the imported from the National Grid and 433 GWh discharge of the low pressure steam turbines. of works power. Each gearbox has now been overhauled and, Energy consumption has increased because by the end of 2012, the station had three of the requirement to supply fans associated pumps in service while No.2 pump was with BOFA and the larger ID fans and 13 aeration undergoing commissioning. blowers for FGD. As a result, the sent-out capacity of the units will drop from 576 to 562 Going forward, the station will benefit from MW on Units 1, 2 and 3 when FGD is fully four CW pump availability. The renovated commissioned and to 574 MW on Unit 4 (which pumps improve condenser performance, is only fitted with BOFA). increasing turbine efficiency and decreasing the likelihood of the station potentially dropping A number of other projects and load if a pump failure occurs. The refurbished flame eyes in operation improvements were carried out in 2012: No.2 pump will also benefit from a  A long-standing drainage issue at the ash refurbished intake drum screen that filters out plant roadway has been rectified and a pump marine debris from the CW before it reaches the Improving control that operated to remove the flood water has pump. Unit 2 drum screen was the last to be been removed, resulting in energy savings. refurbished across the four units.  New energy-efficient lighting has been of Natural Gas Work is ongoing to optimise combustion installed in the main station workshop as part of performances across Longannet’s units and A project to improve Longannet’s control a major reorganisation of the workshop space achieve continual improvement. and safety protection systems when during 2012. Considerable work has been done in recent using natural gas for combustion support Better storage has been provided for years to minimise air ingress, or tramp air, to the has continued in 2012 to achieve equipment used by the Maintenance and combustion system which is normally run under substantial savings in gas use. Engineering Team and additional office space an overall slight suction of 0.6mbar, ensuring In 2011, the station carried out has been created for supervisors. that combustion gases are controlled and do Further work will be carried out in 2013 to maintenance to upgrade the main gas not leak out into the boiler house. control valve and improve the reliability reorganise other satellite maintenance stores A database has been set up to enable staff to of the gas and coal flame eyes that and workshops. report faults – such as cracked ductwork or monitor conditions in the boiler and holed boiler casing – that may cause air to be recognise when there is a flame. Continual Improvement sucked into the system. This has allowed the plant to operate in Our staff and contractors strive to achieve a A pre-outage inspection of Unit 2’s boiler in 2012 without combustion support gas continual improvement in the station’s 2012 identified a number of areas of air ingress. burners when loads are above 300MW efficiency, controllable losses, performance, These were repaired during the station and there is no requirement to change reliability and compliance. shutdown and around 50m2 of plating on the load. Controllable losses are the measure of our boiler casing was replaced. In the first full year of operation in 2012 success in improving combustion The boiler has shown a 20% reduction using the new controls, our gas usage efficiency and reducing our raw in tramp air ingress since its return to 3 figure has dropped by 73% to 41.6Mm , material consumption. The term service – not only reducing from 154Mm3 in 2010 before the new Opportunities to describes the amount of reduce the rate of the controllable losses but operating procedures, and is less than a deviation from ideal design Longannet’s controllable improving combustion fifth of our 2008 gas usage figure values for a losses are identified by the performance and giving (21.5Mm3). number of important members of the Performance station operators better A maintenance plan has been written process measurements, control of NO . Team and discussed each X for the ongoing upkeep of the controls such as temperature, day directly with the Unit Savings in energy use are and further optimisation was carried out pressure and flow. Controllers at the also being realised as the ID during the year to fine tune the way we In 2012, we achieved our station’s production fans need to run at a lower use our gas burners for combustion target to reduce controllable meeting. intensity to move the combustion support. losses below 5.5%. Our end-of-year gases through the precipitators and figure of 5.37% was the lowest for at out towards the chimney. least three years and reflected hard work by The work scope of the Unit 2 2012 outage station teams and contractors to improve key was the largest at Longannet for several years. contributors to controllable losses, such as Other projects carried out that will improve condenser back pressure and boiler tramp air combustion performance and controllable ingress. losses include the replacement of three of the

Many improvements that reduce controllable furnace’s 32 Low NOX burners. losses are also being driven by Longannet’s new The main boiler work, however, involved the maintenance strategy that was launched in replacement of 16 complete superheater 2012. As part of the review, the number of pendent elements, each of which weighed full-time supervisors has been increased to 16 three tonnes, and the installation of a new (from six previously). secondary superheater inlet header in the boiler Each month a list of the top 10 maintenance top dead space. tasks to rectify performance defects is prepared These replacements will improve the by staff in the Performance department. reliability of the Unit 2 boiler by reducing the These are tackled on a priority basis by likelihood of boiler tube leaks. maintenance teams when an appropriate The critical work path for the outage was the opportunity arises. replacement of the life-expired HP turbine rotor In recent years, the main cause of increasing and left-hand steam chest – both projects will Gas burners in operation on Unit 4 at start up controllable losses was the restricted availability improve the reliability and availability of the of the station’s four cooling water (CW) pumps unit, along with measures carried out during the page 15

The new Smit generation transformer arrives at the station and, below left, the old unit is removed Generation transformer swap over Unit 2’s generation transformer was an transformer replacement, plans were put in original component put in place when place to scrap the transformer on site and Longannet was built nearly 40 years ago. recover its valuable components. The 280-tonne unit had reached the end Large volumes of copper and steel were of its operational life and was replaced with recovered for recycling – including a a new, more efficient design during Unit 2’s quantity of high-grade steel laminations outage in 2012. that will be reprocessed in India and China Management of waste and opportunities for reuse in smaller transformers. for recycling are now considered by project Meanwhile, 120,000 litres of oil were teams during the planning phase of the drained from the transformer and sent station’s outages. As part of the away for renewal. unit shutdown. Other station-led projects were brittle over time, causing a small oil leak. hydrazine concentrations required to ensure designed to improve compliance and achieve  Longannet significantly reduced the protection of the plant. continual improvement. quantities of hydrazine required to be stored on As a result, hydrazine usage fell by 31% in  The Furnace Bottom Ash (FBA) settling ponds site during 2012. 2012, from 213 tonnes in 2011 to a new figure have been upgraded in 2012 to significantly Hydrazine is a toxic and unstable chemical of 147 tonnes. There has been a corresponding reduce the likelihood of suspended solids however it is an effective oxygen scavenger and increase in ammonia usage (up from 16 tonnes escaping to the Forth Estuary. in 2011, to 27 tonnes in 2012). High water levels in 2010, combined with periods of heavy rainfall, caused the ponds to Planned outages in 2013 flood resulting in two suspended solid Detailed planning for a major 16-week outage environmental limit breaches. on Unit 3 began during the current reporting Remedial work was carried out at the time period. but, in the current reporting period, the ponds were dredged and new weirs were created Its scope of work is similar to the overhaul between the ponds. This has resulted in a completed successfully on Unit 2 in 2012, but slower flow of water and increased settling time will also include the installation of new NOX for solids before reaching the water discharge abatement technologies to be trialled at point to the Forth. Longannet.  Collapsible bunds are now provided for use Minimising tramp air ingress on the Unit 3’s with portable oil purifiers after a small number Inspection of the hydrazine dosing plant boiler will be a key area of focus, with plans to of oil spills associated with the equipment. The repair 500m2 of boiler skin casing and install a new bunds will prevent any oil leak from is injected into in the condensate water to high temperature expansion joint to improve reaching basement drains. control concentrations of dissolved oxygen. the vacuum seal at the ash hearth, as part of a In addition, the Environment and Engineering The hydrazine reacts with oxygen to produce complete replacement of the existing ash teams are investigating alternative hose material ammonia, which is alkaline and helps to inhibit hearth structure. A similar joint was installed on for use with the portable purifiers following an rust corrosion in the station’s boiler water Unit 4 in 2009 and has delivered high levels of incident where a supplied hose wasn’t designed system. In 2012, a new ammonia injection plant performance in minimising air ingress. to carry warm oil and degraded, becoming came into service that has reduced the Other combustion improvements will include page 16

fitting five new gas/coal burners and repairing others, and the replacing the boiler’s sootblower pipework. Replacement of part of the High Pressure Turbine steam chest and the generator transformer are also planned during the Unit 3 outage. A six-week outage is planned on Unit 4 to complete the replacement of a number of secondary superheater outlet transition welds that were identified as defective during 2012.

Water Abstractions/Discharges Water is an essential part of Longannet’s operations but we aim to use water efficiently without causing harm to the environment. Townswater for steam generation is stored in Longannet’s twin million gallon tanks before being purified using a strictly-controlled amount of chemicals. Steam leaving the turbines is converted back to water in the condensers, before being recirculated back to the boilers. Controlled amounts of chemicals are added to the recirculated condensate water to control its pH and minimise any oxygen in the water to protect some types of steel in parts of the boiler. Seawater extracted from the Forth Estuary is used for cooling the condensers and to absorb

SO2 in the FGD absorber towers. Again strictly-controlled doses of chemicals are added to protect the condenser tubes and prevent the growth of marine organisms in the CW systems. The seawater is returned to the Forth after use in line with discharge limits in the station’s PPC Permit. The Water Framework Directive requires all European inland and coastal waters to reach “good” ecological status by 2015. The Directive requires Longannet to be registered for abstracting water, including cooling water. Longannet has been measuring and collating data on abstractions for future reporting since January 2008. Meanwhile, in line with the resource use requirements of the site’s PPC The borehole water extraction point near Longannet – we increased our use of aquifer water in 2012 permit, Longannet seeks to reduce townswater consumption where possible. wastage from pipework and drains, are now Waste Management Longannet’s townswater usage increased being prioritised in maintenance plans and Volumes of waste solids and liquids produced slightly during 2012 – from 249m3/GWh in 2011 attacked as resources, spares and opportunity increased significantly in 2012 – largely as a to 258m3/GWh – and is the most per GWh since become available. result of the major outage on Unit 2. 3 The Unit 2 outage scope of work also 2008 (262m /GWh) although figures have The extensive programme of work included included a raft of valve replacement been relatively stable in recent years. the one-off disposal of a number of large items and repair work in and around the The increase was despite of plant equipment, including the 280-tonne boiler. Outage work to replace the greater availability of borehole Longannet’s water Unit 2 generation transformer. water, from underground abstraction licenses and first stage radiant platen Meanwhile up to 500 extra contractors were aquifers on the station’s land, registrations are issued by elements on Unit 2 and repair on site for several months, with an associated during the reporting period. S E PA under the Controlled the primary reheater on Unit 4 increase in mixed municipal waste and sewage In 2011, the borehole’s Activities Regulations (CAR). helped reduce the potential for sludge. Nevertheless, Longannet’s environment pump control system failed Discharge consents are also boiler tube leaks. team and project teams continued to identify due to pump equipment governed by the CAR regime Although primarily an opportunities to reuse, recover and recycle. becoming fouled with deposits or under the PPC Permit availability issue, tube leaks can of iron oxide and the station was as apropriate. result in water wastage – as the In 2012, 53% of the total waste produced on without borehole water from mid boiler has to be drained when a site (excluding ash) was recovered for reuse or August until the end of the year. tube leak occurs. recycling – the highest figure since 2009 (58%). Borehole water is used for general duties, Meters have been fitted throughout the The volume of solid non-hazardous waste such as washing down, dust suppression and in station’s water systems to provide data on water increased from 2,692 tonnes to 3,034 tonnes in the fire hydrant system. The overhauled pump use and two additional meters were fitted/wired the reporting period – a rise of 13% – of which operated effectively throughout 2012, resulting up in 2012. Data from the meters will feed in to 56% was recycled. This figure includes material in extracted borehole water volumes increasing the water monitoring system to further improve such as cardboard, paper, metals and plastics to 430,199m3, from 340,658m3 in 2011. information about water consumption and loss. that are routinely recycled at waste segregation Water leak repairs are a recurring theme in the Longannet’s Cold Weather Action Plan was stations located throughout the plant. top 10-list of monthly maintenance tasks, implemented again in the winter months, Waste handling and the quality of segregation helping reduce wastage and controllable losses. including measures to improve the protection of is scrutinised by senior station management on Issues such as leaking and passing valves, and the station’s water systems from frost damage. their weekly housekeeping tour of the plant and page 17

non-hazardous liquids – up from 119,242 litres offering a more environmentally and in 2011 to 219,523 in 2012. commercially sensible option to disposal at the The 46% rise is related to the increase in end of the contract. septic tank sludge arising from the temporary increase in station population during the unit Resource recovery outages. The largest volume of material produced at Hazardous solid waste, such as oil absorbent Longannet is power station ash that is created and insulating material, showed a slight during the combustion process. decrease during the year – from 231 tonnes in Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA), or fly ash, is the 2011 to 196 tonnes in 2012. Of this total, 0.1% fine powder that is removed from the was recycled – mostly fluorescent tubes. combustion flue gases by electrostatic Despite the large increase in solid waste precipitators. Furnace Bottom Ash (FBA), which arising in 2012, there was only a slight increase is produced in much smaller quantities, has a in the overall amount disposed of to landfill – coarser texture and is collected from the base of from 1,519 tonnes in 2011 to 1,544 tonnes in the furnace. ScotAsh Ltd, a joint venture the current reporting period. between ScottishPower and Lafarge Wherever possible, the station’s Tarmac, processes Longannet’s ash environment team seek to reduce Waste Solids for reuse by the construction the amount of waste produced, industry and manufactures and promote the reuse and specialist cements, grouts and recycling of materials. waste stabilisation products. In 2012, Longannet sent 351 6% PFA not sold by ScotAsh is tonnes of marine waste collected Hazardous mixed with water and pumped to at the CW drum screen trash Valleyfield Ash Storage Lagoons, baskets to an organic waste 94% 6km east of the station, for recycling plant Cumbernauld for Non-Hazardous disposal to landfill. ScottishPower composting with anaerobic pays Landfill Tax in respect of ash digestion. sent to the lagoons. The resulting methane gas is There was a breach of sold to generate power while a Waste liquids suspended solid discharge to nutrient-rich biofertiliser by- water emission limits at Valleyfield product is sold to local farmers. Lagoons in December 2012, arising The plant has capacity to provide from issues with the cenosphere power for around 2,000 homes. 42% collection pond and final settling Twelve Dyson hand driers were Non-Hazardous pond. installed in the station toilets 58% Cenospheres are lightweight ash during the year to reduce the Hazardous beads formed in the high volume of paper towel waste. The temperatures in the station’s new driers are also energy furnaces. The hollow beads float efficient, contributing to a on water and the collection pond reduction in works power use. is designed to capture the Meanwhile, Longannet’s FGD Recycled solids material, which is then recovered project team are exploring and sold by ScotAsh for specialist regular spot checks. Any issues are reported at opportunities for reuse and applications in paint and heat- our Health, Safety and Environment meetings recycling as the construction resistant coatings. for follow-up action by team leaders. 49% phase starts to wind down. Not Recycled During freezing conditions, ice At the end of 2012 a review of the satellite At its peak, the project had formed on the surface of the waste segregation stations has been started to employed up to 900 staff and 51% collection pond and inhibited the identify what can be done to improve waste contractors who were housed in a Recycled settling of suspended solids. segregation “at source” by staff and contractors purpose-built ‘cabin village’ When the cenospheres were – i.e. put the right waste in the right bin. accommodation area on site. being skimmed off the collection More than 1,300 tonnes of metals and steel As part of the FGD project, new pond, solids were disturbed and were recovered for recycling, a large proportion roads and hardstanding areas Hazardous Liquids made their way to the final of which was associated with the Unit 2 outage were created and large volume of collection pond and then into the and the smaller Unit 4 outage in 2012. equipment were brought on to Forth Estuary. There was also a significant 41% increase in site. By the end of 2012, only This resulted in twice the the amount of hazardous liquid waste, mostly around 140 FGD contractors 43% permitted level of suspended oil, arising from station activities – up from remained – all of whom should Not Recycled solids being found during a 175,480 litres in 2011 to a new figure of have left by the end of next year. routine sample at the water 299,590 litres. The vast majority of hazardous Much of the surplus office 57% discharge point – although any liquid is oil from equipment – including 120,000 equipment – computers and Recycled environmental impact would have litres recovered from Unit 2 generation furniture – has already been sent been negligible. transformer that was scrapped in 2012. off site for reuse. An investigation was carried out We achieved 100% reuse and recovery of the A discussion began in 2012 and an improvement plan put in waste oil. Water and other contaminants are about the future of the cabin village. place for the collection ponds. They laundered by a specialist contractor from It is due to be demolished at the end of the FGD were drained and excavated to restore their Longannet’s bulk turbine lubricating oil which is contract but Longannet is now looking at volume and improve the settling process. It is then returned for reuse by the station, while potential of retaining the buildings as anticipated the ponds will return to service by general waste oil is dewatered and cleaned for accommodation for future outage teams. the end of January 2013. reuse as a low grade fuel. In the past three years, In addition, several hundred tonnes of ‘type Meanwhile, construction of the new 900,000- half a million litres of waste oil have been one’ compactable gravel material, used as road tonnes capacity Lagoon No.22 at Valleyfield was recovered at Longannet for reuse. surface protection and handstanding during the completed in 2011 and the facility was fully The other waste to show a large increase was FGD works, will be retained for station use, commissioned in 2012. page 18

Noise Longannet experienced various noise issues in 2012 that resulted in two reportable incidents and six justified community complaints. The most significant noise incidents, which affected the station’s CAS rating, both occurred in July. Unit 4’s Reheater safety valve R57 lifted as the unit increased load following its return to service after an outage, resulting in a loud and sustained noise that was heard over a wide area. Due to the seriousness of the incident and the number of community complaints/enquiries that arose, our regulators SEPA deemed it as a reportable incident. Our investigation determined the lift was caused by flakes of magnetite, an oxide of iron, blocking the fine holes in the IP turbine steam inlet strainers. This restricted steam flow to the unit’s IP turbine causing the pressure in the Reheater section of the boiler to rise. It was believed water had entered the steam pipework during leak testing carried out at the beginning of the outage and this had caused the pipe’s magnetite coating to flake off. This was the first time such an incident had been recorded at the station and a number of New safety valve silencers have been installed high up on the boiler roof to help control process noise improvements were implemented. These included a review of leak test procedures and The tank has reached the end of its operational the installation of a pressure signal alarm to give Emergency/Abnormal life and will be replaced by a new double- operators an early warning of issues with the Conditions skinned waste oil recovery tank in June 2013, reheat steam pressure. Our procedures to manage abnormal or improving environmental protection. In addition, temperature monitoring will be emergency conditions are audited regularly via Longannet’s Cold Weather Action Plan was fitted to the Unit 4 Superheater and Reheater the station’s EMS and audits conducted by again deployed in the winter months, following safety valves during 2013 to aid quick Generation’s Environment Team. the severe disruption caused by extreme cold in identification of valve lifts. This monitoring is Senior management also organise regular 2010-11. This includes ensuring the station has already installed on the other three Units. emergency exercises to test the response of sufficient resources for four-weeks’ baseload The second loud noise incident in July was a station teams. In May 2012, a full site evacuation operations to ensure continuity of output. result of a safety valve lift associated with Unit was organised as part of a business continuity The station has invested in new equipment 3’s sootblower systems. We identified that a exercise involving staff and the emergency to keep its environs clear of snow and ice, control valve had failed to throttle as the steam services. The scenario examined the station’s including new tractor-mounted salt spreaders. supply increased in pressure – the safety valve response if a bomb was found on site. was subsequently refurbished. In autumn 2012, Longannet’s chemical spill Other community noise complaints in 2012 procedure was revised and tested during a Contaminated Land related to what could be described as exercise relating to the station’s Prevention of contamination and management nuisance noise emanating from the arrangements for handling delivery of of contaminated land is built in to our EMS. station. bulk chemicals to site. Learning We maintain up-to-date registers of our A new noise As part of the station’s new points from both emergency landholdings in which each site is allocated a risk monitoring point is maintenance programme, a exercises have helped to rating. This helps to prioritise investment in noise strategy is being proposed at the water improve the station’s measures to minimise contamination risks. implemented and abstraction boreholes north procedures. Under the IPPC Directive, we had to conduct of the station. We have also maintenance teams are Meanwhile, a fire risk contaminated land surveys at Longannet as part planning a systematic upgraded our on-line noise evaluation of all of the process of applying for PPC permits and condition-based assessment monitors to alert operations ScottishPower’s generating to hold regular ongoing reviews. of valves and silencers. staff when noise levels sites has identified a number of During 2012 we contributed to a business During the Unit 2 outage, the from the station action points for Longannet. review of the process for identifying and station’s original steam drain are high. These are aimed at ensuring the monitoring contaminated land. One of the valves SD4-8 were replaced – when integrity of the fire prevention and outputs has been to ensure that copies of all the worn, these can cause loud hissing when detection system on site and ensuring the historic reports are available to all staff via our they are passing steam – and a set of new safety availability and efficient operation of the document management system, Documentum. valve silencers was fitted to the Superheater station’s fire-fighting system. A station-led team A procedure for carrying out site excavations Safety Valves on the boiler roof. has implemented measures, including has also been reviewed to ensure it contains Looking ahead, steam leg drain valves and improvements to diesel tank level monitoring appropriate reference to checking contaminated flange warming steam supply valves will be and gas bottle storage area. land records before commencing work. replaced or overhauled on Unit 3 – again these A full inspection of the condition of more Work was also carried out to survey the are a potential source of nuisance noise. than 100 storage tanks at the station will be condition of boreholes at Longannet, Valleyfield Opportunities will also be taken to carry out carried out in 2013. The tanks come in all shapes and the site of the former Kincardine Power remedial or interim repairs to steam leg drain and sizes and contain substances from corrosive Station. There are more than 100 boreholes on valves on Units 1 and 4 and overhaul the flange acids to oils and water. these landholdings that are used to monitor for warming steam supply valves on Unit 2. The fabric of the tanks will be examined and a groundwater, leachates and contaminants. Maintenance staff will also install additional number of structures will be repaired and The monitoring, carried out by a hydrologist noise insulation in the housing for the gear- redundant tanks removed, including a waste oil and the Environment Team, catalogued and driven air blowers that help oxygenate the FGD tank associated with the station’s main oil photographed boreholes and a schedule was discharge water at the outer flume seal pit. interceptor at the seal pits at Longannet’s flume. drawn up for their repair and maintenance. page 19

Targets & Achievements: Longannet operates an improvement plan that sets out station targets and records our progress

Longannet has a rolling programme of Outcome: New water meters installed. Water environmental objectives and targets. and energy monitoring continued to indentify The Environmental Plan featured in this report Reportable potential reductions. We continue to operate a covers the period 2012-2016 and aims to deliver waste segregation system and work with site continual improvement in key areas such as incidents in 2012 personnel and contractors to maximise re-use emissions, water and energy use. and recycling of wastes. This section covers our achievements in 2012 There were five incidents in 2012 – one and outlines future targets, which are covered in more than in 2011 – and the station ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION our new Environmental Plan for 2013-2022. missed its target of reducing reportable Target: Continue to deliver Biodiversity Action incidents to zero. Plan targets and actions Targets/Outcomes in 2012 Two environmental incidents related to Outcome: 80% of actions delivered to loud noise emissions from lifting safety September 2012, following change to the ranger valves on the main plant. service instigated by Fife Coast & Countryside ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE There was a minor SO2 emissions limit ServiceTrust. Target: We aim to minimise notifiable incidents breach on Units 1 and 2 which were above to SEPA and receive zero regulatory actions the target of 400mg/m3 as set by PPC Target: Progress with design of the identified Outcome: There were five notifiable incidents – Permit variation VN04 (which extended Best Available Technology for fish return. see panel (right) and Key Issues text. There were the FGD commissioning period). Outcome: Dialogue with SEPA is ongoing, dates no incidents classified as catastrophic or major There was also a minor oil release from set in PPC Permit VN04 for carrying out further and no new enforcement notices, prosecutions, emission point W10 that was classified as investigation and design work were revised by fines or formal actions by SEPA. an Environmental Event, although it did agreement with SEPA from 2012 to 2013 when not breaching our discharge limit. Permit Variation VN05 was issued. Target: Achieve CAS performance ratings of The final incident was an environmental ‘Good’ for the power station and an ‘Excellent’ limit breach involving a release of STAKEHOLDERS assessment of our performance under CAS for suspended solids to the estuary at Target: Minimise community complaints (6 the power station and Valleyfield respectively Valleyfield Lagoons. justified). and ncorporate Longannet Lagoons into CAS for This is the first reportable incident at Outcome: Seven justified complaints received – the first time. the site for at least four years since the six relating to noise, one relating to dust. Outcome: Achieved ‘Good’ rating for Longannet start of SEPA’s compliance assessment Power Station. The rating for Valleyfield Lagoons scheme. These incidents are discussed in ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM dropped from ‘Excellent’ in 2011 to ‘Good’ in the Key Issues section of the report. Target: Maintain certification to ISO 14001 and 2012. Longannet Lagoons achieved ‘Excellent’ in EMAS. its first assessment. Outcome: The station successfully underwent a full ISO14001: 2004 recertification audit at the PPC PERMIT beginning of 2012, providing certification until Target: Comply with all reporting, notification Target: Complete commissioning of FGD 2015. An external audit of Longannet’s and upgrade installation dates. Integrated Management System will take place absorbers on Units 1 and 2 and complete Outcome: All reporting and notification in March/April 2013. reconstruction of Unit 3 absorber. requirements met, or an extensionapplied for Outcome: Unit 1 commissioned. Units 2 and 3 and agreed with SEPA as necessary. Monthly Targets for 2013 updates sent to SEPA on FGD progress. Data was scheduled for completion in March and December 2013, respectively. Extension to ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE submitted on schedule to comply with Scottish Target: Achieve ‘Good’ rating or higher in CAS Pollutant Release Inventory requirements. commissioning dates for Units 2 and 3 agreed by SEPA following submission of a PPC Permit assessment for Valleyfield Lagoons and Longannet Power Station in 2013 assessment. Target: Develop a decommissioning plan for the Variation Application. station. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Outcome: Target met. Plan will be reviewed and Target: Report on FGD the post commissioning Target: X performance of Unit 1 FGD to SEPA. Install NO reduction technology, revised every two years. including improved combustion gas sample Outcome: Report finalised internally. To be monitoring across all four units and trial submitted to SEPA in early 2013. Target: Cease co-firing of WDF pulverised fuel control improvements on Unit 3. Outcome: Target met in on 30th April 2012. Target: Review procedures for managing oil and Target: SEPA Enforcement Notice lifted now formally Minimise emissions to air. chemicals, including deliveries, to prevent the Outcome: withdrawn. Tramp air ingress targeted during risk of pollution. outage periods to assist combustion efficiency EMISSIONS and reduce NOX production USE OF RESOURCES Target: Measure SO2, NOX and dust emissions Target: Develop Resource Efficiency Action Plan using CEMS to ensure compliance with the UK’s Target: Minimise emissions to water. for the station and develop electricity and water NERP bubble limits under the LCPD. Outcome: Refurbishment of transition weirs usage reduction measures for the Longannet Outcome: Target met and reported emissions between the FBA settlement ponds to reduce administration building. verified by SEPA. suspended solids level, completed in October. STAKEHOLDERS Target: Submit EU ETS Phase II monitoring and RESOURCE USE and WASTES Target: Achieve six or fewer community reporting plan on schedule for independent Target: Review resource, water and energy use complaints. verification. to identify further efficiency measures and Target: Identify alternative method for providing Outcome: Target met. minimise waste. ranger service for Longannet and Valleyfield. page 20

Social and Community: How Longannet engages with our local community and stakeholders, and our workforce’s charity giving

Longannet Power Station is committed to engaging with local communities and other interested parties and being a ‘Good Community and Trusted Neighbour’. complaints in 2012 The station continues to operate at the very heart of the West Fife community, providing There was an increase in community jobs for more than 250 direct employees and a complaints – up from three in 2011, to further 150 contracting colleagues. seven in the current reporting period. There are also direct benefits from the influx We missed our target of achieving six of contractors to the station, for projects such as or fewer complaints during the year. the 2012 Unit 2 outage. Around 500 additional staff were on site during the year, many of Six complaints were related to whom stay in West Fife hotels and guest houses nuisance noise and all occurred in the and support local shops and restaurants. second half of the year. Station management is represented at the Remedial action and repairs were regular meetings of Kincardine, Culross and Low carried out at the earliest opportunity Valleyfield Community Councils and quarterly and each complaint was investigated by Valleyfield Ash Liaison Committee meetings to station management, who ensured the respond to any environmental concerns or complainant was kept informed about requests for information. the action being taken. A schedule of We are also represented on the management work, detailed on page 18, is designed to group of the Forth Estuary Forum which brings improve our noise controls. together businesses and organisations to help The other complaint related to coordinate the sustainable use of the Forth’s nuisance dust from lorries moving on coastline and marine areas. the station’s coal stock during a period In recent years, we have strengthened our of dry, windy weather. association with the emergency services both at Although the lorry roadway had been Longannet and on the site of the former sprayed with water to dampen down Kincardine Power Station. dust, the surface had dried more quickly We have opened up our facilities and than expected and fugitive dust landholdings for special training initiatives that escaped. The coal plant operators have will help prepare emergency workers to save been reminded about the need for lives, fight crime and protect property. vigilance in dry weather and when In 2012, the station continued its partnership vehicles are moving on the stockpile. with the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan. The extensive site at Kincardine is leased to the college and used for training by police officers for public engagement meetings held every two football, a children’s play area and skateboard from forces throughout Scotland. months when Fife Police meet to address the park. concerns of members of the community. Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art firefighting In 2012, the third phase of the programme centre is operated by Central Scotland Fire & A long-running joint initiative to sponsor a was completed with the opening of a the Rescue Service at the Kincardine site. community police vehicle came to an end in Stewart Rankine Community Pavilion at the site off Feregait, near Tulliallan Primary School. We have also worked closely with Central 2012. The station and its key contractors have sponsored a community police vehicle since Scotland Police, Fife Constabulary and the It brings to around £250,000 the sum 2004 to provide transport for community police Scottish Ambulance Service’s Special Operations invested by ScottishPower since the start of the activities in the West Fife villages, programme, through Landfill Tax payments. Response Team, and given them access to our facilities. ScottishPower is also providing a free An agreement in principle was reached in Station staff Alan Kemp and Willie Ferguson, meeting place, at Valleyfield Lagoons Site Office, 2012 to continue the sponsorship when the Fife Council representative for the the current car’s lease expired. area, and ScottishPower Director Ron However, Fife Police did not ScottishPower Hunter, were present at the proceed with the initiative due works in partnership opening of the new facility. to the uncertainty over with Cancer Research UK It will serve four local football proposals to create a new and Longannet staff and teams, provide a meeting place single national police force. contractors raised almost for Kincardine and Tulliallan In recent years, £2,000 for the charity in 2012 groups and serve as a base for ScottishPower has targeted through raffles and events. community events, such as the annual gala. support for community A donation of £276 facilities in Kincardine through The pavilion, which cost was also made to the Landfill Tax Scheme. £300,000, was a much-needed Sports Relief. The station pays landfill tax in resource – the former building was relation to ash disposal at Valleyfield dilapidated and had no hot water for and Longannet Lagoons. Payments have been footballers to shower after their match. made in the past to help provide a new all- Councillor Ferguson said: “Without the money Pictured at the opening of the new pavilion, from weather sports pitch, a multi-purpose arena, for from ScottishPower, none of these facilities left, Alan Kemp, Willie Ferguson and Ron Hunter sports such as basketball and five-a-side would have been possible. page 21

Biodiversity & Conservation: Our work to benefit habitats and wildlife on our sites

Longannet Power Station and our ash disposal site at Valleyfield Lagoons extend over 289 hectares and feature a wide variety of habitats used by wildlife. Our landholdings include our operational areas – the generating station, coal plant, car parks and hardstanding, offices, workshops and active lagoons. But there are extensive areas of semi- natural grassland, plantations of native trees, pockets of scrubland and wetlands. At Valleyfield, 6km east of Longannet, this mosaic of habitats has led to the site being designated part of the Firth of Forth Site of Ghost Moth, this is a female, was new for site Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1991 and included in the 683-hectares Torry Bay Local Nature Reserve (LNR) designation in 1996. The Valleyfield site is also an important element in the make-up of the Inner Forth Estuary, which is internationally recognised for its value to wildlife, especially birds. The area is covered by natural history designations including the Firth of Forth Ramsar site and Special Protection Area. To encourage biodiversity on our site, the power station maintains a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) which was launched in 2004 and updated in 2009. For many years, we have co-sponsored a Small Heath is a UK BAP butterfly species Countryside Ranger to manage Torry Bay LNR and to help implement the station’s BAP along with the Environment Team. Meanwhile, monitoring of Valleyfield and The new pavilion was supported by This arrangement came to an end in Longannet’s wildlife continued in the first ScottishPower and Fife Council September 2012, at the instigation of the nine months of the year, with the ranger Fife Coast and Countryside Trust who joined by a botanist and other naturalists. redeployed the Ranger to other duties. As a Up to nine species of birds listed on the UK “The old pavilion did not do much to enhance consequence, Longannet is now seeking an Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) have been the reputation of the village. Now visiting teams alternative solution to delivering the actions recorded nesting at ScottishPower’s sites: and referees praise it as a superb facility – better within its BAP. Skylark, House Sparrow, Common Linnet, than some senior league teams can offer. A key focus of the BAP in 2012 was the Reed Buntng, Grey Partridge, Lapwing, Song “We have put a management agreement in continuation of seed trials using Furnace Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler and Starling. place to maintain the pavilion going forward. It is Bottom Ash as a growing medium at Lagoon A nestbox scheme is operated for small a real asset to the community.” No.5 at Valleyfield. birds at both Longannet and Valleyfield, The station continues to support community In October 2011, 12 x 25m2 plots were while artificial nestboxes have been put in initiatives with donations at the station planted with grass seeds – a mix of native place on islands at Valleyfield for ducks. manager’s discretion. We continued our and cultivated species to determine which One new species of bird was seen during sponsorship of the children’s races at Kincardine grew best in the ash. the year – a Pomarine Skua. Gala Day in 2012. A payment was also made to The trial was assessed in Monitoring continued for bumblebees support the planting of flowers and bulbs in Low spring/summer 2012, and butterflies – Small Heath, a UK BAP Valleyfield as part of their Village in Bloom and it was found species, was added to the Valleyfield list submission. The community won a Silver Award to have been for the first time in 2012. Another species, in the contest. successful. This the Comma was also seen for the first Longannet also supported the Culross Festival means FBA could be time – this species is rapidly expanding its range north into Scotland in 2012 – the 20th year of the annual celebration usefully recycled as a Scalloped of arts and music in the village. A moth enthusiast also carried out a capping material at Hazel moth Longannet Power Station’s Visitor Centre the site, promoting series of ‘light trapping’ sessions – with continues to welcome organised parties to find re-use of waste and several new species found including the out more about the station’s activities. offsetting more valuable aggregates, UK BAP Ghost Moth, Scalloped Haxel, Old In 2012, more than 500 adults and children such as colliery shale, which has been used Lady, Marbled Minor, Lime-speck Pug, took part in station visits, with a high proportion for capping in the past. Willow Ermine, Small Magpie, Ingrailed Clay, from schools, colleges and universities. The FBA was subsequently used for the Flame and Setaceous Hebrew Character. These included the Universities of St Andrews growing annual flowering plants, such as In addition, a new mammal was found for and Stirling, and Wellington, Falkland House, marigolds, with similar success. Valleyfield – the Daubenton Bat. Kilgraston and Queen Anne schools. page 22

Glossary of terms: A quick guide to some of the abbreviations and technical terminology used in this year’s EMAS Statement

BAP Biodiversity Action Plan biomass biological material, such as wood, agricultural crops and other plant substances, that can be used as a source of fuel BETTA British Electricity Transmission and Trading Arrangements. GB-wide electricity market arrangements launched in April 2005 BOFA Boosted Over Fire Air: Technique used to reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen during the combustion process. CAR Controlled Activities Regulations CAS Compliance Assessment Scheme CEMS Continuous Emissions Monitoring System CFD Computational Fluid Dynamics

CO2 Carbon dioxide. A greenhouse gas associated with climate change CW Circulating, or cooling water: Longannet extracts significant amounts of riverwater from the Forth Estuary for its cooling processes Two new salt spreaders purchased as part of our Cold Weather Action Plan EFOR Effective Forced Outage Rate EMAS Eco-Management and Audit Scheme nitrogen from coal-fired stations EMS Environmental Management System Mm3 Millions of cubic metres EU ETS European Union Emissions Trading Scheme MTU Mobile Test Unit FBA Furnace Bottom Ash: A residue generated by coal- MW MegaWatt. One million Watts fired power stations, such as Longannet NOx Oxides of nitrogen, which contribute to acid rain FEED Front End Engineering Design causing damage to vulnerable freshwater systems, FGD Flue Gas Desulphurisation: Process used to reduce forestry etc; also leads to poor air quality emissions of sulphur dioxide from fossil-fuel power OPRA Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal, which is generation carried out by SEPA GWh Gigawatt hour, 109 watt hours. Unit of power PFA Pulverised Fuel Ash. A by-product generated by HCl Hydrogen Chloride coal-fired stations IED Industrial Emissions Directive, which will replace the pH Measure of acidity/alkalinity Large Combustion Plants Directive (LCPD) and other Ramsar The Convention of Wetlands is an inter legislation and will tighten considerably emission governmental treaty that provides a framework for

limit values for NOX, SO2 and dust national action and international IPC Integrated Pollution Control. A UK regulatory system co-operation for the conservation and wise use of of control over industrial emissions which reflects wetlands and their resources the interdependence of the environmental media ROCs Renewable Obligation Certificates, that are awarded (water, atmosphere and land) by considering them under the Renewables Obligation to energy together and issuing a single authorisation generators for each unit of electricity that is IPPC European Commission Directive on Integrated generated from a renewable source Pollution Prevention and Control. This replaced ROFA Rotating Opposed Fire Air IPC and Waste Management licences at Longannet RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Power Station and Valleyfield Lagoons SEPA Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the IS0 14001 International standard for EMS environmental regulatory authority in Scotland kg/s kilograms per second SCR Selective Catalytic Reduction: a method of NOX kTonnes kTe. kilo tonnes. 1,000 Tonnes abatement, currently being considered by KPI Key Performance Indicator Longannet, to reduce emissions by up to 90% kWh Kilowatt hour: 103 watt hours. Unit of power SNCR Selective Non Catalytic Reduction LCPD Large Combustion Plant Directive: Directive SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest

2001/80/EC of the European Parliament and the SO2 Sulphur dioxide, which contributes to acid rain and Council on the limitation of emissions of certain can affect local air quality pollutants into the air from large combustion plant Two shifting A flexible system of plant operation whereby units LNR Local Nature Reserve start up when market prices are advantageous and Load Factor The amount of electricity produced by a power shut down when they are not station in relation to its capacity WDF Waste Derived Fuel

Low NOx burners Equipment to reduce emissions of oxides of WID Waste Incineration Directive page 23 ScottishPower is part of the IBERDROLA Group, one of the four largest energy companies in the world by market capitalisation. ScottishPower Generation Holdings Ltd operates ScottishPower’s diverse generation portfolio, which includes coal, gas and hydro power stations. For more information, visit the Generation business’s website: www.spenergywholesale.com

Longannet EMAS Statement 2012 is published by: Longannet Power Station, Kincardine-on-Forth, by Alloa, Clackmannanshire, FK10 4AA Tel: 01259 730631

Verified by Ted Rosser, UK 000079 Lead EMAS Auditor for LRQA.

Produced by Lauder Stewart Communications Ltd. Tel: 01475 540791