2012 Awards

The 3rd annual Sustainable Electricity Awards were presented on the evening of June 13, 2012, in Ottawa, Ontario. The Awards identify organizations that applied innovation to sustainability challenges in the 2011 calendar year.

The Sustainable Electricity Awards include the following categories:

• Sustainability Company of the Year
• Environmental Commitment
• Social Responsibility
• Economic Excellence

CEA is pleased to announce the winners for 2012.

Sustainability Company of the Year Award (Shared)

Ontario Power Generation Inc.

Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) has displayed exemplary commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint through innovative environmental initiatives and partnerships that look at solutions to wildlife and habitat restoration, emissions reductions, biodiversity, naturalization, recycling and environmental education. In addition, the company is actively engaged with Aboriginal Peoples and other stakeholders, gives back to its communities through the Corporate Citizenship Program, and promotes health, wellness, equality, diversity and safety in the workplace. OPG displayed economic excellence in 2012 through fiscal responsibility in project financing; for example, as with the Lower Mattagami Project that is currently underway.

Horizon Utilities Corporation

This is the second year in a row that Horizon Utilities has won this award. Since 2008, Horizon has been on a path to becoming the industry leader in sustainable development. Sustainability is embedded in every facet of the organization, which enables the delivery of environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic excellence not only within the organization, but within the communities it works for and the energy sector as a whole. In 2011, an executive level committee was formed to oversee sustainability efforts. All of the hard work paid off, as the organization received a GRI “A+” application level, assured by Ernst & Young, and for the second consecutive year, met ISO 26000 guidelines, and earned ISO 14001:2004 certification.

Environmental Commitment Award

SaskPower

SaskPower was selected as the winner of this award in recognition of the Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Project in Estevan, Saskatchewan. One of the world’s first and the largest project of its kind, the $1.24 billion partnership between the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, SaskPower, and private industry will see the full integration of a rebuilt coal-fired generation unit with carbon capture technology into the operation of a commercial power station. The result will be low-emission electricity and carbon dioxide (CO2) for enhanced oil recovery or storage in deep saline aquifers. This leading-edge project will determine the technical, economic and environmental performance of carbon utilization, capture and storage (CCUS) technology.

Social Responsibility Award

Yukon Energy Corporation

Yukon Energy Corporation was selected as the winner of this award in recognition of its Let’s Talk – Yukon’s Energy Future stakeholder engagement charrettes. This initiative facilitated widespread engagement with local communities, First Nations, and others in the company’s service area. In 2011, Yukon Energy undertook the task of updating its 20-Year Energy Resource Plan. In order to encourage public inclusiveness in the planning process, the energy charrettes were used to educate participants, develop energy decision-making principles and better understand what energy resources Yukoners want in order to meet their future energy needs. The outputs from these community sessions will act as guiding principles as Yukon Energy updates its 20-year resource plan and makes energy-related decisions in the future.

Economic Excellence Award
New Brunswick Power Holding Corporation

New Brunswick Power (NB Power) was selected as the winner of this award in recognition of its PowerShift Atlantic initiative. PowerShift Atlantic was launched in 2012 through Natural Resource Canada’s Clean Energy Fund. It is a customer engagement and research project focused on determining if load control can provide for a more economical and effective way to integrate wind energy into Canada’s electricity system. Led by NB Power, project partners include Saint John Energy, Maritime Electric, Nova Scotia Power, New Brunswick System Operator, the University of New Brunswick, the Government of New Brunswick and the Government of Prince Edward Island.