Annual Report - EDP

: performance :that 117 m 3 of oil were spilt. Some 1,585 metrictons of soil were removed in the cleaning andrecovery operations.In 2012, there was an accidental leak of fuel oil atthe Aboño Power Plant, described on page 66.Electro-magneticfieldsEDP has committed itself to action in this areabased on the principle of precaution, which,as defined by the WHO (World HealthOrganization), consists of “taking simple, easilyachievable, low-cost measures to reduceexposure to electro-magnetic fields, evenin the absence of a demonstrable risk”.In 2012 EDP Distribuição continued its policyof providing information and clarification on thisissue, both internally and in response to externalrequests. Public information sessions were heldat a number of town halls and parish councilsin areas were electricity infrastructures arecurrently being built.The year 2012 also saw the launch of an initiativefor the assessment of the electro-magnetic fieldsgenerated by the new smart grid installations,anticipating their future development and possibleconsequences.3.4.6. environmentalinvestmentand expenditureThe total value of environmental investmentand expenditure, in 2012, was EUR 80.5 million.Investment in the environment, EUR 31.6 millionessentially encompassed actions and measuresfocusing specifically on atmospheric impactminimisation and reduction, and biodiversityand landscape protection. The investment inbiodiversity (EUR 8.9 million) in its majoritymeasures to offset and mitigate the environmentalimpacts of the new hydro-electric projects (Saborand Foz Tua) and increases in installed capacity(Venda Nova III and Salamonde II) accounts fora substantial part (EUR 5.4 million) of the overallamount invested. Investment has been ona downward trend in the last 4 years, at an annualaverage rate of 29% of which can be explainedby the completion of the desulphurisation anddenitrification systems at the Sines, Aboño andSoto plants. Environment-related expenditurehas, over the years, been linked essentially tothermal plants and the consumables involvedin the operation of the desulphurisation anddenitrification systems to reduce SO 2and NO Xat the Sines, and the desulphurisation in Aboño(group 2) and Soto (group 3) plants. As far as thehydro-electric plants are concerned, the mainhighlight has been expenditure on water qualitymonitoring campaigns in the reservoir lakes.For more detailed information on environmentalinvestments and expenditure please see note 52to the financial statements.27%PORTUGALINVESTMENTANDENVIRONMENTALCOSTSSPAIN41%22%BRAZIL10%EDPREDP incurred costs with fines and otherpenalties for non-compliance with environmentalregulations amounting to EUR 2.2 million.This figure is mainly due to the accident in Aboño(page 66). The environmental revenue of EUR 4.8million is related to the sale of environmentalby-products (gypsum, ashes and slag) in the valueof EUR 2.8 million and the sale of environmentalwaste in the value of EUR 1.9 million.EDP has set up a provision of EUR 29.1 million(see note 37 to the financial statements) to coverthe costs of pre-decommissioning the Trillonuclear power plant, which is scheduled for 2015.The Group has also set up a provision of EUR63.3 million for the decommissioning of windfarms, specifically to cover the costs of returningsites and land to their original state. To coverfuture environmental liabilities, EDP has also setup additional provisions to cover the potentialcost of land recovery (EUR 56.0 million) and landdecontamination (EUR 20.2 million).EDP - Annual Report 201267