Consultancy Services for Updating Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of 30 MW (AC) grid-connected Solar PV-based power generation plant project of Intraco Solar Power Limited (ISPL).

Expansion of rural electrification is the key to the development of rural areas of the country. The Government of Bangladesh has a vision of ensuring access to affordable and reliable electricity for all by 2021. However, supply of electricity at subsidized prices with depleting fossil fuel is becoming an ongoing challenge for the government. Only 62% of the population (including renewable energy) has access to electricity most of which are living in urban areas. Given the dispersed nature of rural settlements, grid expansion into those areas is difficult and expensive. Therefore, ensuring electricity through stand-alone renewable energy-based options is being explored.

The proposed Project involves setting up of a 30MWp AC coupled solar photovoltaic based grid by Intraco Solar Power Ltd. at bhotmari, kaliganj, lalmonirhat District. The proposed system will include 30MWp on-grid solar power plant, Solar Power Plant Business on of the best project in Bangladesh. This power plant Installation and supervision is Solarland Engineering & Development Co., Ltd. Equipment Suppliers and Technical Consultant is Antai Technology Co., Ltd. and Equipment Manufacturers are China, Malaysia & Germany, Major equipment, and accessories is Transformer, LT, PFI, Switchgear Panel and Solar Panel with Inverter. Intraco Solar Power Ltd invest Authorized capital 125,00,00,000-taka, solar power will be distributed seven kilometer around the plant area. Project is expected to go into commercial operation in April 2022 and supply electricity to the adjacent households, shops, social entities including schools, mosques, madrasas, offices, government and non-government institutions etc., rice mills, husking mills and irrigation pumps, distribution covered Seven Kilometer (7 km) area from the project side.

Scope of Services included –

§  Collection of necessary information and relevant data for updating the existing EIA report and preparation of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Reports for 30 MW (AC) grid-connected Solar PV-based power generation plant project.

§  Collection of primary data, including extrapolation environmental features on proposed project design, tree inventories, location and measurement of socio-cultural features adjoining the proposed project area.

§  Collection of the secondary data on macro-environmental setting, such as, climate (temperature, rainfall, humidity, & wind speed), physiography, geology etc. from secondary sources.

§  Review of the environmental legislation, regulatory policy & guidelines, and considerations relating to the implementation of the project.

§  Review of the policy, legal and administrative framework for ESIA process.

§  Carry out the environmental and social impact assessment up to 1km area on each side of the project.

§  Establish the environmental and social baseline conditions of the project.

§  Assessment of the baseline environmental and social condition through field surveys and investigation (sampling & testing).

§  Impacts assessment of ecologically sensitive areas (e.g., wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserve, and protected places).

§  Environmental quality assessment of terrestrial and aquatic ecology, soil quality (parameters – oil & grease, arsenic), surface water quality (parameters – pH, TDS, DO, BOD, COD), groundwater quality (parameters – pH, Arsenic, TDS, Alkalinity, Fe, Chloride), air quality (parameters – SOx, NOx, CO, PM₁₀, PM_2.5), and noise level to prepare a baseline database.

§  Assess the existing physical environment, biological environment, and socio-economic environment.

§  Physical environment covered different physical natural features and included major parameters & factors, such as, climate (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, sunshine, & cloud coverage), ambient air quality, noise level, physiography, topography, geology & hydrology, water resources (surface & ground water), soil quality, agro-ecological zones (soil condition, & floodplain), seismicity, etc.

§  Biological environment covered factors related to life and included major features, such as, bio-ecological zones (major rivers), ecosystem, flora & fauna, protected areas & red book species, etc.

§  Socio-economic environment covered anthropological factors, such as, demography, age, sex/gender, household, nutrition, religion, ethnicity, land use ownership, cropping pattern, occupational pattern, livelihood, income, infrastructure, settlement plan & housing, transport & communication, sources of drinking water, sanitation facility, poverty, health, recreational activities, archaeological & cultural heritage, climate change & natural disaster, environmental & social hotspot, etc.

§  Prepare socio-economic profile and impact on the community.

§  Identification and assessment of potential impacts on the natural and human environment in the project area during pre-construction; construction and post-construction phase of the project.

§  Identification of mitigation measures for minimizing the effect of the negative impacts and enhancement measures for increasing the benefits of the positive impacts.

§  Organize public consultation to explain the local environmental & social conditions and pertinent impacts.

§  Public consultation was conducted to understand the people’s perception, view and suggestion on the project.

§  Assessment of environmental, economic, and social benefits that will contribute towards long-term global sustainability.

§  Preparation of the recommendations and conclusions in order to operate the project works in an environmentally safe and sound manner.

§  Preparation of the ESIA Report, in compliance with the guidelines of the Department of Environment (DOE) and World Bank ESS (Environmental and Social Standard) guidelines.

§  Preparation of the ESIA Report, including Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Environmental Monitoring Plan, along with the budgetary cost estimates for the proposed mitigation measures and monitoring plan, in compliance with the DOE guidelines and World Bank ESS (Environmental and Social Standard).