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TRONA, Calif., Mar 09, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) today announced that its ACE Cogeneration plant in Trona, Calif., has been recognized for its outstanding safety program by achieving STAR status under California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). STAR is the highest safety designation given by OSHA and the federal government.
The facility celebrated its achievement in February with a ceremony, which included the presentation of the VPP STAR flag by a representative of Cal/OSHA.
Located in California's Mojave Desert, ACE Cogeneration is a coal-fired power plant, which can produce 104 megawatts of electricity. Since the plant began commercial operation in 1991, safety has played a major role in the operation of the electric generating facility. ACE Cogeneration's employee-driven safety culture includes an active safety committee, which develops and oversees general and plant-specific safety procedures and initiatives. The plant is operated by 34 full-time employees who drive the safety programs and culture that have contributed to an impressive safety record. That record includes ACE Cogeneration employees having recently worked nearly five years, without an injury leading to lost time from work.
OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program is designed as a cooperative effort among industry, workers and government to ensure safer workplaces. By approving safely operating facilities such as ACE Cogeneration into the VPP, OSHA officially recognizes the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. Of the seven million private industries in the country, only 1,100 are approved for the Voluntary Protection Program. Approved facilities are designated under one of three categories, with the STAR designation being the highest. ACE Cogeneration is only the 72nd facility in the state of California recognized as a STAR facility.
"STAR status is extremely challenging to achieve," said Iraj Pourmehraban, VPP manager for the state of California. "It's especially challenging for a facility like ACE, considering the naturally dangerous work environment at a coal-fired power plant. Also, because it's a relatively small site with few employees and limited resources, it takes a consistent team effort to operate at that level of safety. ACE Cogeneration is a solid example of what the Voluntary Protection Program is all about - employee-driven safety at the highest levels."
Applications for OSHA recognition are accepted from various work sites and assessed based on established VPP standards for a managed safety and health system. Applicants are verified through a review process that includes a thorough on-site evaluation performed by OSHA safety and health experts.
"More than anything, the VPP STAR recognition is a testament to the employees at ACE - to their teamwork and commitment to safety and to each other," said Steve Gross, managing director of asset operations, West Region, for Constellation Power Generation, a subsidiary of Constellation Energy. "They're the ones looking out for each other every single day. They're the real stars in this."
About Constellation Energy
Constellation Energy (www.constellation.com) is a leading supplier of energy products and services to wholesale and retail electric and natural gas customers. It owns a diversified fleet of generating units located throughout the United States, totaling approximately 9,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and is among the leaders pursuing the development of new nuclear plants in the United States. The company delivers electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its regulated utility in Central Maryland. A FORTUNE 500 company headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy had revenues of $19.8 billion in 2008.
SOURCE: Constellation Energy
Constellation Energy
Kevin Thornton, 410-470-7433
Copyright Business Wire 2009
