Contact: NOVEC Public Relations, 1-888-335-0500, communications@novec.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA – The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative reported today that in 2007 it recycled 222,500 pounds of electric utility materials, thousands of gallons of oil, and 10,000 cubic yards of wood chip mulch from trees. Recycling is part of NOVEC’s environmental action program.
“NOVEC has been environmentally ‘green’ for years,” said Kent Cassell, NOVEC’s purchasing, materials and facilities manager. “We want to protect the environment in every way we can, as well as pass cost-savings on to our customer-owners. Our recycling programs help us do both.”
In 2007, NOVEC recycled or gave away 255 used wooden reels. By recycling, NOVEC avoided adding 52,480 pounds of waste to landfills and saved 85 trees. In addition, NOVEC avoided paying $10,240 in disposal costs. Customers may obtain used reels free of charge from NOVEC’s Gainesville office at 5399 Wellington Branch Drive. They should call the warehouse in advance between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at 703-754-6717 and then press 3 to inquire about availability.
Also in 2007, NOVEC recycled 170,020 pounds of scrap wire, conductor and cable. The Cooperative sold the metal to a recycler who melted and reused it.
As part of regular system maintenance, the Cooperative tests old and damaged transformers. If they pass electrical tests, NOVEC repairs, repaints and reuses them. If they are beyond repair or obsolete, NOVEC removes the usable parts, extracts and recycles their oil and sells the transformers to an EPA-regulated recycling company.
Some transformers at NOVEC’s substations weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and contain 12,000 gallons of oil. Buying new oil for these enormous transformers every time they need work would cost the utility and its customer-owners a great deal of money. Therefore, when technicians need to work on a transformer, they drive an oil processing trailer to the substation. The processer pumps oil out of the transformer and runs it through a filter. When technicians finish working on the transformer, they refill it with most of the filtered oil instead of costly new oil. Rather than dispose of unusable oil, NOVEC sells it. In 2007, NOVEC sold approximately 4,000 gallons of oil to an EPA-approved salvage company.
To help reduce waste added to landfills during the December holidays, NOVEC operates a Christmas greens recycling program at its Gainesville office. Right of way crews chop the greens into wood chip mulch. They will then deliver the mulch ? which includes chips from branches crews trim year-round from trees near power lines ? to a customer-owner at no charge when crews are working in the customer’s neighborhood. In 2007, NOVEC gave away or recycled more than 10,000 cubic yards of wood chip mulch. Customers who are interested in free mulch may complete the request form on www.novec.com under “Residential Customers,” or call NOVEC’s customer service center at 703-335-0500, or toll-free at 1-888-335-0500.
“NOVEC is committed to protecting the environment,” says Jim Moxley, NOVEC senior vice president. “In addition to recycling, we manage vegetation according to EPA guidelines. We use geothermal heating and cooling systems in two of our office facilities, and we have been deploying the latest generation of energy-efficient lighting in our buildings. And, for better fuel economy, we purchase vehicles with diesel engines.”
