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TransAlta Corporation is Canada's largest non-regulated electric generation and
marketing company, with more than $7 billion in assets and 9,000 megawatts of capacity
either in operation or under construction. Current operations include coal and gas-fired
generation and hydro generation. As one of North America's lowest-cost operators,
TransAlta is focused on developing coal and gas-fired generation in Canada, the
U.S., and Mexico.
Highlights of Our Sustainable Development Performance:
- For the fifth consecutive year, TransAlta was listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability
World Index. In 2003, we were ranked first among electric utilities.
- TransAlta has been added to the prestigious FTSE4 Good Global Index for our environmental
performance.
- By year-end 2001, TransAlta's three Ontario gas-fired generation facilities, 13
hydro facilities, and Australian facilities all had ISO 14001 compliant systems
in place. In 2002, TransAlta's Centralia facility received ISO 14001 environmental
management system certification.
- On December 16, 2003, TransAlta, through its subsidiary Vision Quest, announced
approval and initiation of a 68-megawatt Summerview Wind Farm. Construction is expected
to be completed in July 2004. TransAlta purchased Vision Quest in October 2002.
The purchase was linked to TransAlta's long-term goal of having 10% of capacity
provided by renewable sources of energy.
- In January 2003, TransAlta purchased El Paso Corporation's fifty per cent interest
in U.S. electricity generation company CE Generation LLC for US$240 million, including
the right to a 50 per cent interest in a geothermal development project. The transaction
gives TransAlta a fifty per cent share in 13 existing facilities. CE Generation
holds 816 megawatts (MW) of operating capacity, including 326 MW of geothermal generation
in California and 490 MW of gas-fired cogeneration in New York, Texas and Arizona.
- On July 1, 2002, TransAlta became the first company in Calgary to have the electricity
needs of the corporate headquarters met through wind generation.
- TransAlta won the European Business Council for Sustainable Energy Award in December
2003, for business leadership on sustainable development.
- TransAlta won the national Business in the Arts - Arts/Entrepreneur Partnership
award for support of the Fringe Theatre Adventures.
- TransAlta was recognized for corporate governance by Canadian Business magazine
and through the Globe and Mail's second annual Board Games. Canadian Business ranked
TransAlta fifth (highest ranked utility) while the Globe and Mail placed TransAlta
first in their ranking for the second year in a row.
- The Canadian Electricity Association awarded TransAlta with a President's Award
of Excellence for Employee Safety for our 2002 performance. This is the second consecutive
year that TransAlta has received a gold award.
- TransAlta was recognized as one of Alberta's most respected corporations for its
environmental stewardship by Alberta Venture Magazine.
- TransAlta was recognized by the United Way of Calgary & Area with its first ever
President's award. The United Way's highest corporate award recognizes extraordinary
contributions of financial and sustained voluntary commitment and community support
by an organization.
- In 2003, SO2 emissions are expected to be 22 per cent lower than in 2002 due to
the completion of the scrubbers at Centralia in May 2002. The SO2 emission intensity
is forecast to be 27 per cent lower than 2002 and almost 60 per cent lower than
in 2000. Similarly, NOx emissions intensity has decreased nearly 12 per cent since
2001 despite the addition of new generation in Sarnia, Campeche, and Chihuahua.
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