EPA signals intention to grant approval to private company

Tumatumari Hydro Project

– ahead of Impact Assessment, Environment and Social Management Plan

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has signalled its intention to grant an interim one year authorisation to Tumatumari Hydro Inc (THI), which brings the special purpose private company one step closer towards its planned rehabilitation of the Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) power plant.
This comes, however, before an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and an Environmental and Social Impact Management Plan (ESMP) has even been completed and submitted by the company. And the regulatory agency’s reason for doing this is reportedly because of the tight schedule to commence work. The project work is expected to commence next month.
An EIA is a study which is carried out during the planning stages of a project in order to assess what effects the project will have on the environment. Once this assessment is done, recommendations can be made to mitigate any harmful effects on the environment. It is usually carried out by independent specialists vetted by the regulatory agency.
“THI by way of letter dated July 15, 2015 to the EPA, applied for processing of Environmental Authorisation for the implementation of the project,” the Agency noted in explaining this move. “This process progressed to the half-way point, before being reformulated by the EPA, in accordance with the stipulations outlined in the EPA`s letter of February 21, 2017.”
“The restarted process has since been embarked upon, with due dispatch. However, given the projected early implementation schedule and the nature of this project, it is not envisaged that the undertaking of an EIA and the preparation of an ESMP will be an onerous, inordinately time consuming, and costly undertaking.”
In a recent advertisement, it had been announced that THI had applied seeking environmental authorisation to rehabilitate the Hydroelectric Power Generation Plant, which is located in Tumatumari, Potaro, Region Eight.
The advertisement had announced that the new project would have the existing Tumatumari Hydro-electric Power Station project redeveloped, as well as operation improvements and maintenance done.
In addition, the publication revealed plans to replace the plant’s existing hydroelectric generator units and installation of new electro-mechanical/ hydraulic controls, instrumentation, and protection and switch gears.
According to an EPA report, the agency has proposed to grant THI’s request for an interim Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), but with a life span of one year. This, the authority noted, is contingent on EPA accepting an updated Project Summary that THI is expected to submit.
The EIA is expected to enable the start of the project, including the construction, commissioning and initial operation, pending the company attaining full environmental authorisation status. The Draft Terms of Reference for the EIA and related ESMP are the immediate next steps to be addressed.
This will facilitate the engagement of the Environmental Consultants for undertaking the work, in coordination with the EPA. Accordingly, THI projects that its application for the EIA will be submitted by May 2017, given that project works will commence (on the ground) by July 2017.

Scope of work
According to the released scope of work, the project will seek to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the existing hydroelectric plant. The project will also entail replacing two existing 0.75 megawatt hydroelectric generator units with new 1.1 megawatt units, as well as the installation of new hydraulic controls, instrumentation, protection and switchgear.
It also entails minor rehabilitation works done to the powerhouse, trash screens, penstock gantry and gates and final access roadway. In addition, there are plans to replace the conductors in the existing power line, from Tumatumari to Sucre Junction (a distance of approximately eight km) and construct a new power line extension from Sucre Junction to Mahdia along the existing roadway.
A new 30km power line from Tumatumari to TRG gold mining operations at Karouni, Kaburi, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) along existing roadway will also be constructed. There are also plans to construct living quarters to accommodate visitors, personnel on duty and offices.

Impact on environment

While interim approval has been granted, there are still grey areas regarding the project’s social and environmental impact that have to be addressed. The plant, which is located upstream of the Potaro River, was built some 60 years ago by a Canadian investor.
Among the areas to be probed are the social impact the project will have on the immediate adjacent community, and others expected to receive power from the project.
In addition, further work is slated to be done on the biodiversity impact, to determine any possible negative impact during the operational phase, on flora and fauna, as well as possible endangerment of aquatic species.
Work will also be done on the impact the project would have on climate change, as well as on the noise and human waste pollution impact component. The hydrological impact of anti-flood control measures during operations will also be assessed.
Land stability and the impact of erosion will also be assessed. The EPA noted in its report that while the actual works are situated on granite bedrock, the impact on the stability of lands surrounding the project’s installation works will be assessed.
And finally, the impact of power line installation will have to be examined. However, the regulatory agency noted that no new forest road or other road reconstruction will be required for erecting the power poles and stringing lines, as works will be effected on the easement of the existing roadway. It stated that any incremental disruption or habitat fragmentation would be minimal.