Hydro Ottawa's environmental sustainability efforts bloom into a tenth year as Canada's Greenest Employer

OTTAWA, April 19, 2021 /CNW/ - This year marks the tenth time that Hydro Ottawa is selected as one of Canada's Greenest Employers, a recognition of the company's ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability in all areas of its business operations.

Every year, Hydro Ottawa strives to not only maintain its environmental commitments, but also to rise to new challenges. Hydro Ottawa invests in producing clean, renewable energy, but the vision for environmental sustainability encompasses far more. The company has adopted an end-to-end approach to sustainability ? transitioning to cleaner energy production, helping customers conserve energy and lead energy efficient lifestyles, designing its facilities to LEED Gold standards, implementing green technology, and improving waste management. In spite of a global pandemic, Hydro Ottawa has remained committed to these initiatives through: a strategic partnership with the Zibi Canada and Kruger Products; shifting its youth education program to online promotion of conservation and clean energy jobs; collaborations with the City of Ottawa; and, refurbishment plans to sustain a growing city with additional clean, safe and renewable power.

Hydro Ottawa owns and operates three subsidiaries: Hydro Ottawa Limited, which distributes electricity across the nation's capital; Portage Power, which generates 128 megawatts of clean renewable energy annually; and Envari Holding Inc., which offers large-scale sustainable energy solutions for businesses, governments and utilities.

Quick Facts

• Portage Power is Ontario's largest municipally-owned producer of green power, with hydroelectric, solar and landfill gas-to-energy generation facilities generating enough renewable electricity to power 107,000 homes.
• Solar energy generation at Hydro Ottawa's new facilities offsets approximately 18 per cent of the energy demand at its East Campus and 100 per cent at its South Campus.
• Hydro Ottawa diverts on average more than 90 per cent of its waste from landfill.
• Now offered in a virtual format, Hydro Ottawa's education program, in partnership with Electricity Safety and Conservation and Relay Education, builds awareness and a culture of conservation and sustainability among elementary-aged children; the program has educated just over 280,000 local students since its inception.
• In October 2020, Hydro Ottawa partnered with Zibi Canada and Kruger Products to introduce zero-carbon thermal district energy to their 34-acre site, making the Zibi development project the region's first zero-carbon-emission community.
• The first phase of Envari's streetlight conversion and maintenance project for the City of Ottawa was completed ahead of schedule, and a contract for streetlight conversion in the Town of Renfrew was awarded.
• Two of Hydro Ottawa's hydroelectric generating stations across the Ottawa River in Quebec are being refurbished to bring additional clean, renewable power into Ontario.
• Hydro Ottawa is a community partner of the City of Ottawa's Energy Evolution project, designed to advance energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy generation.
• Hydro Ottawa is a catalyst member of EnviroCentre and Carbon613, a growing network of organizations that are setting and achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets in Ottawa.
• The City of Ottawa is looking to Envari to upgrade the systems at one of its wastewater treatment plants. Replacing the plant's three cogeneration engines, and adding a fourth, will eliminate 1,565 tonnes of CO2 per year and reduce utility costs by $80M over 25 years.

Quotes

"Safety and sustainability are the foundation of a healthy and happy city. This is why Hydro Ottawa has placed these elements at the core of all its business operations. As we transition into a new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we only lean harder into our vision for the health and safety of our employees, customers, and our community. With determination, grit, and innovation, we position ourselves for continual growth in environmental stewardship."

- Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer

About Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. 

Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) is a private company 100 per cent owned by the City of Ottawa and whose core businesses are electricity distribution, renewable energy generation, and energy and utility services. Hydro Ottawa owns and operates three primary subsidiary companies: Hydro Ottawa Limited ? delivering electricity to more than 340,000 customers in the City of Ottawa and the Village of Casselman; Portage Power ? the largest Ontario-based municipally-owned producer of green power that has over 128 megawatts of installed green generation capacity ? enough to power 107,000 homes; and Envari ? an energy solutions company offering products and services that help reduce energy consumption and costs for municipalities, industrial and commercial clients, and various local distribution companies. 

SOURCE Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.