Environmental Impact Assessment

Transcription

1 Environmental Impact Assessment Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: May 2010 Proposed Loan and Administration of Grant for Solar Power Project (Thailand) (Cofinanced by the Clean Energy Fund under the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility) Prepared by Natural Energy Development Company (NED) The initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB s Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature.

2 ABBREVIATIONS AC alternative current ADB Asian Development Bank DC direct current EGAT Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand EHS Environmental, health and safety EIA environmental impact assessment EMP environmental management plan ESA environmental and social assessment IEE initial environmental examination IFC International Finance Corporation IPs Indigenous Peoples NED National Energy Development Company PEA Provincial Electricity Authority PCB polychlorinated biphenyl PV Photovoltaic TSP total suspended particulates WEIGHTS AND MEASURES o C degree Celsius db(a) average A-weighted decibels ha hectare km kilometer kv kilovolt kva Kilovolt ampere m meter m 2 square meter mm millimeter MV megavolt MW megawatt

3 CONTENTS Page A. Introduction 1 B. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework 1 C. Description of the Project 1 1. Project Scope and Layout 1 2. Construction 4 D. Description of the Environment 4 1. Project Location 4 2. Physical Environment 4 3. Biological Environment 5 4. Socioeconomic Environment 5 5. Historical and Cultural Value 5 E. Environmental Impact and Mitigation Measures 5 1. Impact during Construction 5 2. Impact during Operations 6 3. Decommissioning 6 F. Social Impact 6 G. Institutional Requirements and Environmental Management Plan 7 H. Public Consultation and Disclosures 7 I. Findings and Recommendations 8 J. Conclusions 8

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5 1 INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION A. Introduction 1. The Natural Energy Development Company (NED) has initiated a solar power plant project to be located on about 176 hectares of land (about 1,100 rais 1 ) about 200 kilometers (km) north of Bangkok in Wang Plerng Subdistrict, Khok Samrong District, Lopburi Province. The project is designed to have a gross generation capacity of 73 megawatts (MWp) of direct current. The alternating current output will be about 57.9 MW, of which about 2.9 MW will be consumed internally and the remaining 55 MW will be sold to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) through a 115 kilovolt (kv) transmission line to a Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) substation about 15 km away. The project is categorized as Environment B based on its anticipated insignificant impacts and construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2010 and will take about 24 months to complete. 2. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment does not require an environmental impact assessment for solar power projects. Nevertheless, NED commissioned a local consulting firm 2 to undertake an environmental and social assessment (ESA) of the project to ensure that the project will be absolutely environmentally sound and acceptable to the local communities. The ESA was conducted from August 2009 to early December This initial environmental examination (IEE) document summarizes the findings and conclusions of the ESA and was prepared for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in full compliance with its Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) for category B 3 projects and the World Bank Group s Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines (EHS guidelines). B. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework 3. Environmental impact assessment is not required for solar power projects in Thailand. However, environmental aspect was reviewed in the project feasibility study report and the ESA and NED held public consultation meetings on 31 August 2009, 16 September 2009 and 02 October 2009 as required by the Thai constitution. This IEE summarized the salient aspects of the study and public consultation, to meet ADB s requirement. C. Description of the Project 1. Project Scope and Layout 4. The project will involve minor civil works, the installation of about 542,000 solar photovoltaic panels and associated power equipment, and the construction of a control building. Table A7.1 presents the salient features of the project; Table A7.2, land use by the project facilities; Figure A7.1, a flow diagram of solar power generation; and Figure A7.2, the layout of the project facilities. 1 The rai is a Thai measure for land area. One rai is 1,600 square meters, and one hectare is 6.25 rais. 2 Greener Consultant Co. 3 Category B projects are judged to have some adverse environmental impact, but of lesser degree or significance than that of category A projects.

6 2 PV PV-Thin Thin Film film Figure A7.1: Solar Power Generation Diagram 12-km Transmission 115 kva Transmission line to Line to PWA substation DC-AC inverters DC-AC Inverters 250 kva Breaker 400 VAC. 3 φ Switching and Switching metering and Metering DC Controllers Loading Controllers AC Transformer Transformer Data Data Monitoring and monitoring Acquisition Figure 1- Solar Power Generation Diagram AC = alternative current; DC = direct current; KVA = kilovolt ampere; PV = photovoltaic; Source: Natural Energy Development Company. Table A7.1: Salient Technical Features of the Project Item Description Solar panels -number About 542,000 panels, amorphous silicon, photovoltaic thin film -dimensions of each panel Rectangular, 1 m by 1.4 m -inclination 10 degrees -working life 25 years Loading Controllers 28 stations Direct current alternating current 250 kw, 220 units Inverters Transformers 1.25 MVA 1 unit, 2.5 MVA 27 units and 60 MVA 1 unit Substation One 22 kv / 115 kv substation Control building 1 building Transmission line 115 kv, 15 km Km = kilometer; kv = kilovolt; kw = kilowatt; m= meter; MVA = megavolt ampere. Source: Natural Energy Development Company

7 3 Table A7.2: Land Use of the Project Site Land Use Total Area Used (rais) % of Total Solar cell area Loading controllers Transformers One 22 kv / 115 kv substation Control building Green area Roads and vacant space Total 1, kv = kilovolt. Source: Natural Energy Development Company. Figure A7.2: Layout of Project Facilities Scale Meter Symbol Solar panels Control building Loading controllers 22 kv / 115 kv Substation Transformer Green area Road Fence Source: Natural Energy Development Company.

8 4 2. Construction 5. The project will involve site preparation (with minimum disturbance to existing land forms), the construction of small solar panel foundations, the installation of solar panels, the construction of one control building, the construction of one 22 kv/115 kv substation, the construction of inspection roads and drainage systems, the laying of electrical cables, the installation of control systems, and the construction of a 115 kv transmission line on the corridor of an existing 22 kv transmission line. These construction works are minor and will take place over the vast project site. Figure A7.3 presents a tentative construction bar chart. Construction Activity 1. Site preparation and foundation works 2. Construction of solar PV panel supports 3. Construction of inspection roads and drainage 4. Construction of buildings 5. Electrical calding works 6. Installation of solar PV panels 7. Installation of power dispatch system 8. Installation of control system 9. System testing Source: Natural Energy Development Company. Figure A7.3: Construction Schedule Months D. Description of the Environment 1. Project Location 6. The project site covers 1,100 rais (about 176 hectares) of privately owned agricultural land, located next to Rural Road No and surrounded by agricultural land. The project site has no irrigation system and is used mainly for planting cash crops, particularly cassava and maize, and also eucalyptus trees. Some parts are unattended land covered by grasses, bushes, and shrubs. 2. Physical Environment 7. The project site has a humid tropical climate with annual average temperatures ranging from 23.6 C to 33.7 C, average annual rainfall of 1,123.8 millimeters, and annual average relative humidity of 71%. Soil in the project site is of low to medium fertility. The project site is in a low-seismic-risk region. 8. Surface water at the project site is drained by two small, unnamed natural watercourses. One watercourse traverses the western part of the project site in a south north direction, and drains water into a natural canal. Another watercourse traverses the eastern part of the project site in a south north direction, and drains water into another canal. 9. The project site still has good environmental quality as it has no nearby industries or urban communities. The two watercourses in the project site are still virtually unpolluted, as indicated by the low levels of biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and oil and grease. The dust level in the ambient air, measured as total suspended particulates (TSP), is

9 5 still lower than the national standard of 0.33 mg/nm 3 (24-hour average). Ambient noise levels in the three nearest communities are below the national standards 24-hour not exceeding 70 dba per 24 hours, and maximum not exceeding 115 dba. 3. Biological Environment 10. The project site is not located in or near a sensitive ecosystem. An ecological survey of the project site confirmed the absence of unique or ecologically significant flora and fauna. The nearest wildlife sanctuary, Sublanka, is about 60 km away. 4. Socioeconomic Environment 11. The project site has no communities. Two subdistricts, Wang Plerng and Khao Laem, are within a 5 km radius of the project site. Wang Plerng has 13 villages with a total population of 7,536 living in 1,963 households (April 2009 records). Khao Laem has 8 villages with a total population of 3,298 living in 940 households (April 2009 records). Barn Chonmuang in Wang Plerng Subdistrict, about 650 meters away, is the community nearest to the project site. There are no indigenous peoples living within or close to the project site. About 90% of the households rely on agriculture as their main source of income. 5. Historical and Cultural Value 12. The project site and the surrounding areas are for mainly agricultural and industrial land use, and have no important historical or cultural sites. There are no records of archeological findings. E. Environmental Impact and Mitigation Measures 1. Impact during Construction 13. The project will involve only minor civil, mechanical, and electrical works taking place at various locations within a vast project site. The site preparation will involve only minor leveling, and thus will not significantly change the drainage pattern. The transportation of construction materials and project equipment will require about 15 truck trips per day during the working period of 8 hours. Considering the nature and scope of the construction works and the ecological insensitivity of the project site, it is certain that only minor and manageable environmental disturbances will be created during construction, with minimum impact on nearby communities and the natural environment. Environmental disturbances during construction will be small and transient, such as dust, noise, incremental traffic loads on the roads, and gaseous emissions created by trucks and heavy construction equipment. Estimates of the incremental increases in ambient dust and noise levels during construction were made and were found to be marginal. The ambient dust level will increase by micrograms per cubic meter and noise by 0.7 dba at the nearest community. 14. As the 15 km, 115 kv transmission line will be constructed within the corridor of an existing 22 kv transmission line of PEA, there will be no need for any land acquisition or clearance. The transmission line will therefore create minimum transient environmental and social impact. 15. The construction will require not more than 500 workers, who will reside outside the project site. No groundwater will be tapped at the project site as the project site has low

10 6 groundwater potential. The water required for construction (concrete mixing) and consumption will be brought in from outside sources. Domestic wastewater generated by the construction workers would not be more than 20 cubic meters per day and will be treated either in a small centralized package treatment plant or by individual septic tanks, one for each toilet. 16. The nature of the construction works indicates that no toxic or hazardous materials will be used, apart from fuel oils for vehicles, which will be properly stored. Construction wastes will be sorted out by the contractors for recycling. The residual wastes will be properly handled by the relevant municipal units for waste disposal. 2. Impact during Operations 17. Unlike thermal power plants, the operation of the project solar power plant will have negligible environmental impact on the site during operation. There will be no waste products, no requirements for cooling, no moving parts, no noise, and no impact on flora and fauna. The largest impact could be visual. However, as the project site and the surrounding areas have no natural beauty, visual impairment would not be a problem. With an old design of solar photovoltaic arrays, reflected sunlight may cause problems if the system is close to a road and is facing in a direction in which the reflected sunlight may cause problems. This problem will not occur in this project as its solar photovoltaic panels are of new design, which can absorb sunlight and eliminate sunlight reflections. 18. The project will use transformers of forced-oil and forced-air-cool designs, which do not use polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). Therefore, there will be no PCB disposal problem. 19. Only about 40 staff will operate the project facilities. Domestic wastes generated by this small number of people could be readily handled by conventional practices. 3. Decommissioning 20. The Project s solar PV panels are expected to have an economic life of 25 years. The suppliers will accept the decommissioned solar PV panels for recycling based on the thin-film technologies and their update. Dismantling of the PV panels will be handled by some suppliers that offer the best price for used PV panels in the future. F. Social Impact 21. The project has no resettlement or indigenous peoples (IPs) issues. In August 2009, the project entered into a land purchase option agreement 4 with all 11 landowners to purchase the land on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis, valid for 8 months with a 4-month extension period. The landowners will be allowed to harvest their crops before the project starts construction, in line with the requirements of the ADB s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) for negotiated settlement. Only one owner lives on his land and will be allowed to stay on and be employed by the project. Therefore, there will be no relocation issue. The project site has no people identified as IPs. The project is therefore expected to be classified as category C for both involuntary resettlement and IPs. 4 Thus, the sponsors have reached an agreement with the farmers that the project may buy the land at a certain price if the project is implemented.

11 7 G. Institutional Requirements and Environmental Management Plan 22. As the project is virtually environmentally benign, the institutional requirements for environmental management during construction and operation will be minimal. Nevertheless, the project plans to apply for environmental accreditation through ISO During construction, the contractors will be contractually mandated to minimize transient environmental disturbances, using known conventional methods such as water spraying to minimize dust, the imposition of speed limits on vehicles in the project site, the provision of an adequate number of bathrooms and toilets for construction workers, the proper management of domestic wastes (particularly the disposal of food wastes), and the imposition of sanitation and work safety rules and regulations. The project manager of NED will closely monitor the contractors compliance with the environmental and safety clauses of the contracts. TSP levels in the ambient air and noise levels in the nearest communities will be occasionally monitored during construction. 24. During the project operation, environmental management will mostly involve domestic wastes created by about 40 staff. This matter can be readily handled. H. Public Consultation and Disclosures 25. During the conduct of the ESA, two public consultation meetings were held at the two subdistricts. In addition, a field survey was also carried out to collect basic socioeconomic information at the household level and solicit views on the project. Information from the public consultation meetings and the field surveys is summarized in Table A7.3. Table A7.3: Public Consultation Meetings and Field Surveys Subdistrict Date Number of Participants Wang Plerng 31 August October Khao Laem 16 September October Field Surveys (the two subdistricts) Source: Natural Energy Development Company September community leaders and local government officials 347 persons 26. As the project will have insignificant environmental and social impact, the local communities and community leaders did not oppose to the project. They, however, sought assistance in community development and support for community cultural events. I. Grievance Redress Mechanism 27. Local people, once they feel that adverse and material harm is caused by the Project, can directly contact NED office People Participation Committee, and Tambon Administrative Organization (TAO) office, Local leader or Tripartite Committee (including local leader, TAO officer, NED officer). NED will address the problem as soon as possible after receiving the complaint. NED through his designated officer/staff will first obtain the information from the complainant to identify source of problem and verify the complaint. Once verified that the problem/complaint is due to operations, NED will take the necessary corrective action plan to fully resolve the complaints about its environmental performance. NED will inform and update

12 8 the complainant about the progress of grievance mitigation within 24 hours for the urgent issues and 7 days for the non-urgent issues. J. Findings and Recommendations 28. The ESA findings establish that the project site is a relatively infertile agricultural land, is not located in a sensitive ecosystem, and has no historical or cultural value. This nature of the project site, coupled with the clean nature of solar power generation, confirms that the project will not cause any significant, lasting environmental and social impact. Only minor and transient environmental disturbances will be generated in the project site during construction, and will be minimized through established control measures to be implemented by the contractors. It is therefore recommended that the project be considered environmentally and socially feasible, and that the IEE be considered adequate to justify environmental and social clearance of the project. There is no need for further analysis, and the environmental and social assessment of the project is considered complete. K. Conclusions 29. It is concluded that the project has no further environmental and social issues to follow up, and the adequate measures listed in Section D, when implemented, will fully comply with ADB s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009).