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Environmental classification
The Project involves the construction and operation of a new power generation
plant with between 85MW to 135MW of power output. Therefore, it has been
screened A/0 requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment and associated
public consultation.
Information reviewed
1) Final EIA Addendum, Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH) Consulting, December 2003
2) Final EIA report, Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH) Consulting, October 2003
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and associated public consultation
had been carried out in accordance with Albanian EIA legislation and the World
Bank environmental guidelines prior to the Bank’s involvement in the project.
The Bank’s Environmental Department reviewed the EIA process and concluded
that it had been compatible with EBRD EIA requirements. The EIA report itself
was found to satisfy the Bank’s environmental information requirements to a
large extent. The addendum to the EIA was prepared to address the Bank’s
requirements for additional information on certain specific issues.
Key Environmental issues
Site
After evaluation of seven potential sites including sites
near Durrës, Elbasan, Korçë, Fier, Shëngjin and two sites near Vlorë – Vlorë A
and B – the site in Vlorë B was selected as the best site for the new power
plant. The selected site is a six hectare green field site adjacent to the
offshore oil tanker terminal located on the Adriatic coast north of the Port
of Vlorë. The site is situated on a relatively barren coastal area with little
vegetation or wildlife. The site is about two kilometres south of Narta
Lagoon. The lagoon and the surrounding ecosystem of approximately 10,000
hectares is composed of forests, wetlands, sand dunes, beaches and
agricultural land, and is home to a number of endangered species. Parliament
is expected to designate the Narta Lagoon as a "Protected Area" soon. The
Government has confirmed that the proposed Vlore power plant site will be
outside of the boundaries of the Narta Lagoon protected area.
Construction Phase
Emissions to air
Fugitive dust may be emitted from construction
works and machinery as well as from truck traffic. The diesel power
construction machinery and vehicles will also have other air quality impacts.
The dirt roads and exposed construction areas can be moisturised during the
dry season to prevent or minimise the fugitive dust emissions. Emissions from
concrete batching plants can be controlled with fabric filters or cyclone
separators. Diesel powered construction equipment and vehicles can be well
maintained to minimise tailpipe emissions. Air dispersion modelling showed
that the likely fugitive dust concentrations would meet World Bank and
European Union ambient air quality standards.
Noise
Noise from construction activity may be significant.
Noise emitting equipment should comply with the applicable EU noise standards
and should be properly maintained.
Ground and surface water
Minor short-tern lowering of the
groundwater table during dewatering of foundation excavations is not expected
to have a significant impact. Water from dewatering activities and storm water
discharges can be managed to minimise water quality impacts to nearby surface
water resources such as the Narta Lagoon, Bay of Vlore and the Vlore
floodplain. Sediment control measures such as sediment sumps and retention
weirs could be used, as necessary, to minimise sediment transport off site.
Visible oil or grease can be skimmed off the surface using absorbent pads.
Accidental spills of fuels or other materials could contaminate coastal or
inland waters. Workers can be trained in the proper handling, storage and
disposal of hazardous or toxic materials. A written emergency response plan
should be prepared and the workers should be trained to follow specific
procedures in the event of a spill.
Aggregate sources
Existing stone and gravel quarrying
operations close to the site are assessed to provide sufficient resources for
construction requirements without depleting local resources. These sites will
need to be regarded and revegetated following use.
Marine habitat
Installation of the cooling water intake and
discharge outfall pipelines could have impacts on the marine habitat. The work
may involve dredging and disposal of excavated material, which could cause
sediment release to the surrounding marine environment. Any marine disposal
should be done away from sensitive fisheries or breeding grounds and timed to
be outside of the upwelling period. Water construction activities associated
with the pipelines for the cooling water intake and discharge systems will
need to be performed during periods of low fish activity.
Operational Phase
Emissions to air
Combustion of the distillate oil will result
in emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide, particulate matter less than 10 microns, and total suspended
particulate. The particulates may contain small amounts of trace metals.
However, the generation facility will be designed to meet the more stringent
of the EU or World Bank emission and ambient air quality impact standards.
Sulphur dioxide emissions will be controlled by limiting the sulphur content
of the fuel. Nitrogen oxide emission will be controlled through burner
management and water injection to the combustion turbines. Particulate
emissions will be reduced through good combustion control to minimise the
products of incomplete combustion. The ambient air quality modelling showed
that the plant will meet the World Bank and EU standards for carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxides, particulates and sulphur dioxide and that the air quality in
Vlore will remain within the “moderate” category.
Noise
Significant noise levels can result from operation of the
turbines. The transformers in the switchyard can also generate significant
noise levels. The combustion turbines would be designed to limit noise to 85
decibels (A), and thereby meet EU and World Bank requirements.
Oil spills
Oil spills could occur during the shipping,
unloading and transfer of the fuel to on-site storage. A floating boom should
be used to contain spillage during ship unloading and disconnection
procedures. Frequent inspection and maintenance of facilities can minimise
spilling from the transfer pipeline or the mooring buoy.
Water intake
Water intake for the once-through cooling system
may have a localised impact on the marine ecosystem in the vicinity of the
intake. The primary impacts of concern are impingement of marine life on the
intake screens and entrainment of marine species in the cooling water system.
Design of location, inlet spacing and inlet velocity can be used to minimise
the impact on fish communities. An intake bar screen would be used to prevent
large fish from being entrained in the system.
Thermal discharge
Once-through plant cooling water that is
discharged to the Bay of Vlore will increase temperatures in the vicinity of
the discharge location. Thermal impact modelling showed that the potential
increase in water temperature would be less than the World Bank's guideline of
three degrees Celsius. If the impacts are found to be greater than predicted
after operation begins, modifications to the diffuser will be made to enhance
diffusion of the thermal plume.
Chemical discharge in cooling water
Chemical discharge in the
plant cooling water is expected to be negligible.
Wastewater discharge
The wastewater discharge will be designed
to comply with World Bank standards.
Hazardous waste
The amount of hazardous waste created would be
very low and originate from maintenance sources. The waste would consist
primarily of spent lubricants, used rags and spent clean-up solvents. There
would be no ash residue from the combustion of the distillate fuel oil and no
sludge accumulation from fuel storage.
Proximity to the Narta Lagoon
There will be no adverse impacts
on the Narta Lagoon from the thermal discharge or wastewater discharge from
the plant. The plant meets all air quality standards, including those set to
protect vegetation and ecosystems.
Environmental Mitigation and Management Measures
An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) has been developed for this project and
will be implemented by KESH. The EMP defines the measures needed to prevent,
minimise, mitigate, or compensate for adverse impacts, to improve
environmental performance and to ensure compliance with applicable
environmental standards during both the construction and operation of the
plant. The recommendations for main environmental mitigation measures include
waste management and disposal planning, noise abatement measures, installation
of a sewage treatment facility, emergency and oil spill response planning as
well as the purchase of necessary response equipment. These are being
incorporated in the project design.
Disclosure of Information and Public Consultation
Three public consultation meetings were held in Vlorë regarding the project to
introduce the project to the public, to discuss the scope of the EIA study and
to discuss the draft EIA. The meetings were well attended by a varied group of
people, and the comments were incorporated further into the EIA process and
project planning. In the framework of potential participation of the EBRD in
the project, the EIA materials have been made available, in accordance with
EBRD’s public disclosure and consultation procedures, for a 120-day public
review and comment period from 9 February to 7 June 2004 at the following
locations:
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KESH office in Vlore
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Public Relations Office, KESH
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EBRD Resident Office in Tirana
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Business Information Centre, EBRD, London, UK, tel +44 207 338 6747
Monitoring and Reporting
A detailed environmental monitoring plan has been developed to verify that
environmental impact assessments are accurate and that unforeseen impacts are
detected at an early stage to allow corrective measures to be implemented, if
needed. The key monitoring includes:
During the construction phase the plan provides for dust, noise and water
discharge monitoring.
During the operation period, monitoring is planned for air emissions and air
quality, noise, water discharge and biological marine environment, as well as
a routine inspection of the oil pipeline, storage and handling area.
A specific environmental monitoring consultant is planned to be engaged for
the project to ensure the monitoring will be carried out in accordance to the
plan.
KESH will report to EBRD annually on the measured environmental impacts and on
the implementation of the EMP. The plant commissioning will be subject to an
environmental review. EBRD environmental specialist may conduct monitoring
visits to the site when and if deemed appropriate. In addition, independent
environmental monitoring audits will be carried out periodically (every three
years) throughout the lifetime of the plant operation.
There is an Environmental Impact Assesment available for this project.
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