BELCO On North Power Station Emissions

“BELCO is currently in the processes of setting up additional monitoring stations in Pembroke to capture the data necessary to further analyse the level of emissions from the North Power Station,” the company said today.

This follows after Minister Jason Hayward said, “As the MP for Pembroke Central I am concerned by the pollution and increased emissions which are spewing from the plant. Area residents have made it clear that they are unhappy and would like for the matter to be rectified immediately. I have personally examined black soot and liquid rust-like residue on roofs, cars, and other property.”

A BELCO spokesperson said, “Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited [BELCO] today addressed plant emissions that have been affecting the local neighborhood and also sought to correct misinformation being circulated online.

“On June 20th, an incident occurred that resulted in soot being dispersed in the Berkeley Hill neighborhood adjacent to the North Power Station. As a result of the incident, BELCO’s dedicated Occupational Health Safety and Environment team [OHSE] investigated and acted to mitigate unexpected emissions from the North Power Station and worked with affected property owners.

“There are currently photos of a Pembroke roof and a petition circulating on social media showing the effects of the June 20 event which is not a recurring or recent issue.

“BELCO’s OHSE team constantly monitor the effects of emissions from the plant on the adjacent neighbourhood and across the island. This team works closely with the Department of Environment & Natural Resources to ensure emissions are within acceptable limits.

“As a precautionary measure BELCO is currently in the processes of setting up additional monitoring stations in Pembroke to capture the data necessary to further analyse the level of emissions from the North Power Station.

“If a property owner believes they have been affected by emissions from the plant they can email BELCO’s OHSE office at ohse@belco.bm or call 299 2802.

“At BELCO we take the health and safety of our employees and the community very seriously and will continue to take every measure to ensure that any damage to affected properties is mitigated to the highest environmental standard and that such incidents are mitigated in future.

“BELCO is committed to providing a reliable, affordable electricity supply while working with the Regulatory Authority and the Department of Energy to implement the IRP that will ensure a cleaner, more renewable energy supply to our valued customers.”

#BELCO #Electricity

Category: All, Environment, News