Green Star, Inc.

Municipal Light & Power is owned by the Municipality of Anchorage and provides electrical power to approximately 30,000 residential and commercial customers in a service area of 20 square miles. Within this service area is the State's commercial, industrial and transportation center, as well as more than half the City's residential population. ML&P operates two power plants and 20 substations. ML&P is the first business to achieve the Green Star Award and the Air Quality Award simultaneously.

To fulfill its Green Star Award, ML&P began by conducting a waste assessment. ML&P follows Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other agency reporting requirements. A Community Right-to-Know report also is prepared annually for the Anchorage Fire Department, which specifies hazardous materials used and stored at ML&P.

ML&P’s policy is to recycle everything it can. Prior to disposal, waste is evaluated to determine whether it can be reused or recycled. Transformers are recycled for parts, aluminum, and copper, and transformer oil is recycled by running it through a filter press. Glycol antifreeze and used oil are both recycled. ML&P recycles glycol in-house and sends used oil to Alaska Pollution Control. Lead-acid batteries from vehicles and Uninterruptible Power Systems are recycled through approved vendors. Ballasts from fluorescent lamp fixtures are recycled as well. Scrap metal is recycled through Alaska Metal Recycling.

To reduce energy use, all ML&P facilities are converting to energy-efficient fluorescent lamps and fixtures lighting, with just 25% left to convert. ML&P also has converted nearly all of its 1,200 transformers to PCB-free models to ensure the safety of the environment.

To fulfill its Air Quality Award, ML&P conducted an Air Emissions Assessment. The assessment indicates that all 120 company vehicles have engine block heaters, from the light-duty cars and trucks, to the heavy-duty vehicles. ML&P also submits a Facility Operating Report to ADEC every six months. The report provides information on air quality compliance with Title V Operating Permits, which mandated air pollution control and reduction.

Just a few of the measures taken to control and reduce air emissions include:
- Burning only pipeline quality natural gas and Grade 1 and Grade 2 diesel fuel.
- Performing routine inspections of piping and exhaust systems for leaks.
- Continuously monitoring ambient air quality in the vicinity of Plant Two for weather parameters and ambient pollutants concentrations including NOX, CO, and SO2.
- Using indoor parking for most company vehicles.
- Using computerized trip miles tracking system for company vehicles.
- Equipping each company parking lot with electrical outlets for customers and employees to plug in their vehicles on cold days.
- Installing highly efficient drift eliminators at the cooling tower, which lowered particulate matter emissions to a negligible amount.
- Keeping records on equipment operating conditions, operating hours, startups/shutdowns, and fuel usage.

Municipal Light & Power http://www.mlandp.com


	MUNICIPAL LIGHT & POWER 1200 East First Avenue Anchorage, AK 99501 Contact: Yelena Saville savilleyv@ci.anchorage.ak.us (907) 263-5273 217 employees Green Star Award Date: December 17, 2001 Air Quality Award Date: December 17, 2001 Green Business Success Story Municipal Light & Power is owned by the Municipality of Anchorage and provides electrical power to approximately 30,000 residential and commercial customers in a service area of 20 square miles. Within this service area is the State's commercial, industrial and transportation center, as well as more than half the City's residential population. ML&P operates two power plants and 20 substations. ML&P is the first business to achieve the Green Star Award and the Air Quality Award simultaneously. To fulfill its Green Star Award, ML&P began by conducting a waste assessment. ML&P follows Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other agency reporting requirements. A Community Right-to-Know report also is prepared annually for the Anchorage Fire Department, which specifies hazardous materials used and stored at ML&P. ML&P’s policy is to recycle everything it can. Prior to disposal, waste is evaluated to determine whether it can be reused or recycled. Transformers are recycled for parts, aluminum, and copper, and transformer oil is recycled by running it through a filter press. Glycol antifreeze and used oil are both recycled. ML&P recycles glycol in-house and sends used oil to Alaska Pollution Control. Lead-acid batteries from vehicles and Uninterruptible Power Systems are recycled through approved vendors. Ballasts from fluorescent lamp fixtures are recycled as well. Scrap metal is recycled through Alaska Metal Recycling. To reduce energy use, all ML&P facilities are converting to energy-efficient fluorescent lamps and fixtures lighting, with just 25% left to convert. ML&P also has converted nearly all of its 1,200 transformers to PCB-free models to ensure the safety of the environment. To fulfill its Air Quality Award, ML&P conducted an Air Emissions Assessment. The assessment indicates that all 120 company vehicles have engine block heaters, from the light-duty cars and trucks, to the heavy-duty vehicles. ML&P also submits a Facility Operating Report to ADEC every six months. The report provides information on air quality compliance with Title V Operating Permits, which mandated air pollution control and reduction. Just a few of the measures taken to control and reduce air emissions include: - Burning only pipeline quality natural gas and Grade 1 and Grade 2 diesel fuel. - Performing routine inspections of piping and exhaust systems for leaks. - Continuously monitoring ambient air quality in the vicinity of Plant Two for weather parameters and ambient pollutants concentrations including NOX, CO, and SO2. - Using indoor parking for most company vehicles. - Using computerized trip miles tracking system for company vehicles. - Equipping each company parking lot with electrical outlets for customers and employees to plug in their vehicles on cold days. - Installing highly efficient drift eliminators at the cooling tower, which lowered particulate matter emissions to a negligible amount. - Keeping records on equipment operating conditions, operating hours, startups/shutdowns, and fuel usage. Municipal Light & Power http://www.mlandp.com