Prevention of air, water and noise pollution

While operating its power plants and other facilities, Kyushu Electric strives for harmony with the surrounding environment by implementing measures to prevent air, water and noise pollution. Kyushu Electric also enters into environmental conservation agreements with the related municipalities.

[Air pollution countermeasures]

Through the company's top level technology, Kyushu Electric takes pride in the measures it takes to address smoke emissions from thermal power plants. Kyushu Electric's fiscal 1999 emissions intensity was 0.30g/kWh, and 0.23g/kWh for sulfur oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) respectively. These figures are among the best in the world.

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Sulfur oxide (SOx) reduction measures

•	Use of heavy and crude oil with a low sulfur content and installation of desulfurization facility
•	Promotion of LNG use, which does not emit sulfur oxide

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Nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction measures

•	Improvement of the combustion method, such as the adoption of: - Two-stage combustion method - Gas recirculation combustion - Low NOx burner, etc
•	Installation of denitrification facility

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Measures for particulates reduction

•	Installation of high efficiency precipitator
•	Promotion of LNG use, which does not generate particulates

•	Kyushu Electric's SOx and NOx emissions intensity (per kWh thermal electric power production)

•	SOx and NOx emissions intensity around the world (per kWh thermal electric power production)

Source: "Energy and the Environment", by the Federation of Electric Power Companies

[Water quality conservation]

Kyushu Electric has installed waste water treatment systems in all thermal and nuclear power plants for centralized waste water treatment. Kyushu Electric also utilizes the system to pump water up from deep sea levels for cooling purposes at thermal and nuclear power plants, and discharges the water after cooling to maintain the temperature balance between discharged water and the seawater near the drainage outlet.

[Noise prevention measures]

Kyushu Electric addresses noise problems caused by equipment by adopting low-noise equipment, mufflers and sound proofing walls, and by installing such equipment indoors.