Voluntary Commitment

2010 Performance

In 2010, our total gross GHG emissions were 132 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). That's 75 per cent below the target and far exceeds our voluntary commitment of a 6 per cent reduction.

On the basis of emission intensity, we emitted 2 tonnes of CO₂e per gigawatt hour (GWh) in 2010, based on gross generation and emissions — a decrease of 92 per cent relative to the 1990 level.

Since 1990, we have taken many actions to increase our reliance on renewable generation to reduce GHG emissions, and to contribute to GHG emission reductions outside of Manitoba. We have:

Electricity Generation, Transmission and Distribution

• started up the Limestone Generating Station, supplying more than 1,300 MW of new renewable hydropower (the culmination of a 1985 decision to build the station);
• undertaken development of the 200 MW Wuskwatim hydroelectric generating station (currently under construction);
• converted Selkirk Generating Station Units 1 and 2 from coal to natural gas (subsequently awarded Honourable Mention in the 2002 CCME P2 Awards — Greenhouse Gas Reduction Category);
• retired Brandon Generating Station coal-fired Units 1 to 4;
• extended the power grid to 9 remote northern communities, reducing the number of communities that are served by diesel generation from 13 to 4;
• purchased the output of a 100 MW wind farm from St. Leon Wind Energy under the terms of a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement;
• signed a 27-year Power Purchase Agreement with St. Joseph Wind Farm Inc. for 138 MW.

Demand Side Management

• developed the most aggressive long-standing demand-side management (DSM) program in North America. At the end of 2009/10, by reducing electricity consumption in Manitoba by 1,660 GWh annually, our Power Smart programs reduced GHG emissions globally by 1,121 kilotonnes of CO₂e annually;
• developed natural gas DSM Power Smart programs. At the end of 2009/10, our Power Smart initiative achieved annual natural gas savings of approximately 47 million cubic meters in Manitoba which reduced our customers' GHG emission reductions by 89 kilotonnes of CO₂e annually;
• promoted geothermal heat pump systems, with over 1,000 residential loan participants since inception in 2002/03;
• established the Bioenergy Optimization Program encouraging the use of sustainable biomass as a fuel for the production of combined heat and power at customer sites.

Corporate Resources

• developed a world class and state-of-the-art energy-efficient head office in downtown Winnipeg, with the goal of achieving a building energy reduction target of 60 per cent compared to the Model National Energy Code;
• evaluated biodiesel blended fuel for electricity generation in remote northern communities; and
• promoted the use of hybrid vehicles and biodiesel in our fleet.

The graph below presents an estimate of the cumulative impact of our direct emissions, as well as the indirect emission reduction implications of all exports. It is clear that the global greenhouse gas reductions associated with our export sales are significant.

Since 1991, the cumulative total implication of our operations has been the displaced production of approximately 160 million tonnes of CO₂e.