Premier Power believes that achieving world standards in the environment should be an integral part of the company’s objectives and a main priority for management and staff at all levels.
The first power station to convert to gas as it’s main source of fuel, Premier Power continually leads the way in environmental improvements across the industry. Not content to stand still, the company was the first to introduce a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine facility to the Northern Ireland market. Gas is the cleanest fuel available for power production but the introduction of the CCGT means that Premier Power produces 75% more electricity from the same amount of gas as before – this results in a reduction of CO2 emissions by over one million tonnes per year.
Commissioning studies, which identify best environmental practice, Premier Power has been able to develop innovative solutions to help reduce NOx, cadmium and mercury emissions. This focus on the environment knows no bounds with systems currently being introduced which help to maximise plant efficiency, which will in turn reduce overall plant emissions.
Premier Power Ltd has an Environmental Policy that is the driver for implementing and improving our environmental management system so that we can maintain and potentially improve our environmental performance. It is appropriate to the nature, scale and environmental impacts of our activities.
It is intended to comply with the requirements of BS EN ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System.
Premier Power Ltd is located on Islandmagee, opposite the Port of Larne. We currently manage a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant and a conventional power plant, fuelled by natural gas, producing 960MW of power for the Northern Ireland Electricity distribution network. We operate with the highest efficiency and lowest emissions of any fossil-fuelled power plant within Northern Ireland. Premier Power Ltd is fully committed to achieving effective environmental management for its activities as an integral part of our business.
Our environmental aim is to:
Continually improve our environmental management system, whilst meeting our customers needs, resulting in improved performance. Ensuring compliance with environmental legislation and regulations, the terms of authorisations, consents, licences and local agreements. Prevent pollution and reduce waste. Minimising as far as practicable our detrimental impacts.
Our environmental aim is consistent with that of our parent company’s overall goal as to be continually improving on environmental performance.
We are committed to:
Establishing and maintaining an environmental management system generating environmental care within individuals and integrating environmental and business decisions.
Identifying the environmental aspects and impacts of the power station and managing these impacts by:
Specifying appropriate plant; Training and equipping our staff to recognise and manage these impacts; Operating the plant correctly; Maintaining the plant correctly;Being thoroughly prepared to respond to incidents; Working openly with regulators, local communities and other interested parties.
Optimising generating efficiency hence making maximum use of the resources available and minimising emissions.
Minimising waste production and use of consumables.
Demanding standards of environmental performance from our contractors which are consistent with those we set ourselves.
Setting, auditing, reviewing and resetting environmental targets.
