Environment

Ever since its foundation, HYDRO Exploitation has clearly expressed its desire to coordinate the operation of facilities with the conservation of the environment. We are committed to:

• complying with legal requirements, regulations and industry-wide agreements
• providing notification of pollution that is related to our activities
• achieving year-on-year improvements to our environmental performance

Green energy, but…
Hydroelectric energy is renewable and its production creates no CO2 emissions, radioactive waste or noise pollution. It is not without consequences for the environment, however.

Dams and other installations provide security during periods of exceptionally high precipitation. They do blight the landscape, however. Changes to the flow of watercourses resulting from water catchment, accumulation and restitution influence the dynamics of rivers and surrounding biotopes.

The annual release of water from some storage reservoirs causes a temporary increase in the rate of suspended matter in the downstream watercourse. The effect is harmful to aquatic fauna and its habitat. In addition, precautions must be taken at operating sites to reduce the risk of fire, flooding or oil leaks, the consequences of which could be harmful to the environment.

In this context:

• we control the environmental impact of our activities
• we suggest environmental improvements to owners on whose behalf we operate facilities
• we suggest to owners that they obtain ISO 14001 environmental certification and/or green energy labels for the facilities we operate