EN23 Spills & Unintended Releases
| Number/Calendar Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| BC Hydro: Legally Reportable Spills | 28 | 37 | 51 | 58 |
| BC Hydro: Total Volume Reportable Spills (litres) | 5,225 | 4,532 | 18,765 | 62,194 |
Reportable spills include any volume over the provincial spill reporting quantities or require reporting to environmental regulatory agencies under provincial or federal legislation or authorizations issued thereof or under the Memorandum of Understanding between BC Hydro and environmental regulatory agencies. Reportable petroleum spills are any volume over 100 litres spilled to land or any amount spilled to water. Threshold reporting volumes for other substances vary from one litre or kilogram to 200 litres or kilograms, depending on the substance. Though the number of spills increased in calendar year 2007 and 2008 the majority of incidents are minimal to low environmental consequence. The increase in the number of spills in 2007 and 2008 can be explained in part due to new programs to encourage incident reporting and increased capital project activity supported by an increase in dedicated environmental monitors on capital project sites.
The total volume reportable (litres) is based on field estimates. The largest reportable spill reported in calendar year 2008 was a 45,000 litre spill of water which leaked out of a hole in a blowdown line at the Burrard Thermal Plant. The hole constituted a bypass of the authorized works and was required by our permit to be reported to the Ministry of Environment. The water discharged was within the specifications outlined in the permit and the environmental consequence was negligible.
Last Modified: Mar 25, 2010
