Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet



INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET

CONCEPT STAGE

Report No.: AC1448

Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 04/11/2005

I. BASIC INFORMATION

A. Basic Project Data

|Country: Western Africa |Project ID: P075994 |

|Project Name: WAPP APL 1 (1st Phase - COASTAL TRANSMISSION BACKBONE) |

|Task Team Leader: Amarquaye Armar |

|Estimated Appraisal Date: April 4, 2005 |Estimated Board Date: June 28, 2005 |

|Managing Unit: AFTEG |Lending Instrument: Adaptable Program Loan |

|Sector: Power (100%) |

|Theme: Regional integration (P) |

|IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0.00 |

|IDA Amount (US$m.): 25.00 |

|GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 |

|PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 |

|Other financing amounts by source: |

|BORROWER/RECIPIENT 10.00 |

|AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK 2.00 |

|EC: EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK 10.00 |

|KUWAIT: KUWAIT FUND FOR ARAB ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 16.50 |

|Financing Gap 1.50 |

|40.00 |

B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN]

The objective of the proposed project is to create a unified electricity market among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in order to reduce electricity supply costs, improve the security and reliability of electricity supply and thereby foster regional energy integration through the establishment of the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP).

WAPP is an integral element of the ECOWAS members? efforts for all states in West Africa to establish access to stable and continuous energy supply, which they regard as essential for economic development and social stability. The creation of an area without internal frontiers for energy contributes to economic and social progress, sustainable development, and more specifically to establishing a stable framework for the energy business. These higher level objectives are expressed in the ECOWAS Energy Protocol. ECOWAS member countries are resolved to interconnect their energy markets based on a common solidarity and consistent with the rules applicable to the ECOWAS countries. WAPP further presents a political opportunity to provide a driving force towards a more comprehensive economic and political integration of the region.

The World Bank is participating in the effort of building and strengthening the WAPP to promote cooperation and regional integration in West Africa. To this end, the ?Regional Integration Assistance Strategy for West Africa? (RIAS) was presented to the World Bank Board on August 2, 2001. The proposed APL program is a key component of the World Bank?s support for the WAPP and is designed as the principal vehicle for providing IDA co-financing to support the physical integration of the power systems of 10 of the 15 ECOWAS member states.

C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN]

The primary focus of IDA support to WAPP in the period of 2005 - 2011 Phase 1 under the proposed IDA APL Lending Instrument (APL 1, 2 and 3) will be co-financing of priority interconnection lines, key regional hydropower generating facilities, program preparation and implementation assistance and technical assistance to progressively put in place the WAPP Cooperation Model, including the necessary institutional and regulatory capacity building. This ISDS applies to APL 1 only, which is to finance the construction of the 330 kV transmission line from Aboadze to Volta in Ghana.

The proposed size of the IDA commitment for APL 1, 2 and 3 is US$ 350 million. About US$ 30 million is earmarked under APL 1 in support of (i) construction of the Aboadze-Volta transmission line by the power utility in Ghana, (ii) technical assistance for the power utilities of Ghana, Togo and Benin (for the completion of the 330 kV WAPP Zone A Transmission Backbone from Prestea, Ghana, to Sak?t?, B?nin), and (iii) to Senegal (to assist in pre-investment activities associated with the proposed OMVS 60 MW F?lou Hydropower Project). The remainder is earmarked for APL 2 (FY06) and APL 3 (FY07) to support (i) the construction of the Zone A Transmission Backbone, (ii) the power utilities from Mali and Cote d?Ivoire to finance development of the 225 kV WAPP (Zone B) Transmission Hub, (iii) strengthening of the Ghana grid, (iv) Hydropower rehabilitation in Zone A, and (v) Hydropower development in Zone B.

The strategic priorities for IDA co-financing under APL 1 and 2 include:

(1) Investments to upgrade the capabilities of transmission system operators (TSOs) of ECOWAS Member States so that they can implement policy decisions to assure regional security of supply under the WAPP Cooperation Model. Examples of such investments include those to: (a) upgrade load dispatch and real-time system stability and control capabilities; and (b) establish a new control center;

(2) Investments to remove critical bottlenecks along designated WAPP transmission corridors and installing additional transmission lines so as to meet the N-1 criteria for the WAPP Cooperation Model;

(3)Pre-investment activities to facilitate development of critical multi-national hydropower generation facilities within WAPP; and

(4) A wide range of technical assistance, for institutional/regulatory/power systems development and project preparation and implementation, to help put in place the WAPP Cooperation Model; and engineering/environmental services for the preparation and implementation of investment projects (including but not limited to IDA-financed projects under the APL) to facilitate the establishment of a unified electricity market among ECOWAS Member States.

D. Project location (if known)

The APL 1 investment project consists of one country project located in Ghana. The project is a 330 kV transmission line from Aboadze to Volta of 216 km length with appropriate terminations at Aboadze and Volta. The transmission system will consist of the transmission line itself (including about 430 towers of 40 meters height, conductors and their supports), its associated right-of-way (ROW), and two 450MVA 330/161kV autotransformers to be installed at the line ends at Aboadze and Volta switching stations to provide connection to the rest of the system. The total land area to be taken up by the ROW will be approximately 8.6 km2 corresponding to a 40 m wide strip running along the entire proposed 215 km route. In all, about 38 communities are affected by the project. There will be no need for resettlement of persons. The land taken for the tower base and the access roads will be permanent, whereas the land taken for the ROW will allow for continued cultivation by farmers with crops not exceeding 1.5 meters. Alterations in tower spotting will assist in circumventing a few sacred groves and shrines (especially Guako Grove at Pokuase), the Yenku Block "B" forest reserve, and the Apra Hills forest reserve.

E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN]

Ghana's electric utility, the Volta River Authority (VRA), has implemented numerous World Bank projects in accordance with the World Bank's rules. For APL 1, VRA has prepared an Environmental Impact Assessment and a Resettlement Action Plan for the Aboadze-Volta transmission line. Both were reviewed by the World Bank and found to be adequate. Minor World Bank comments are currently being addressed by VRA. VRA will in addition develop an Environmental Management Plan, which will include rules for the management of wastes, rules for compliance with Ghana's Forestry Divisions Guidelines, traffic management, environmental and safety hazards (including environmental awareness programs for workers). VRA will also submit an annual environmental report. An Environmental Permit has been issued by Ghana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which allows VRA to commence construction of the transmission line.

II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY

|Safeguard Policies Triggered |Yes |No |TBD |

|Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) |X | | |

|For the proposed project, category B is proposed for APL 1 in view of the limited complexity of the investment to be undertaken, and given |

|that only one country (Ghana) is involved. For the proposed investment a full environmental and resettlement assessment has been conducted and|

|is available for project appraisal, as recommended under the World Bank's safeguard and social impact policies. Later installments of the APL |

|program may contain components that could be rated into A-category or C-category. |

| |

|In order to streamline investments in the WAPP in the future, West African countries will engage from APL1 onwards in a process of harmonizing|

|environmental and resettlement standards across the region. For this purpose a framework program is being developed and to be implemented |

|under ECOWAS leadership. Moreover, Environmental Framework Documents (EFD) will be developed in cooperation with countries for all future |

|lending activities in the APL. It should also be mentioned that a key feature of the regional interconnection scheme is the expected positive |

|impact on the environment as it will allow the increased use of less environmentally harmful power generation sources such as gas and |

|hydropower to displace oil-based generation, which produces higher levels of atmospheric gases (including carbon dioxide) and particulate |

|emission. On the basis of the above project categorization as "B", the responsibility to handle safeguards is assigned to the task team, with |

|clearances to be issued by the Sector Manager. The safeguards team members are John Boyle and Dan Aronson. |

|Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) | |X | |

|Forests (OP/BP 4.36) | |X | |

|Pest Management (OP 4.09) | |X | |

|Cultural Property (OPN 11.03) | |X | |

|Indigenous Peoples (OD 4.20) | |X | |

|Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) |X | | |

|See comments made under EIA. |

|Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) | |X | |

|Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) | |X | |

|Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) | |X | |

Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment

III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN

A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS would be prepared: 02/17/2005

B. For simple projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage ISDS: N/A

C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing[1] should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS.

Environmental Assessment/Analysis/Management Plan (Actual)

Date of receipt by the Bank 01/11/2005

Date of "in-country" disclosure 02/24/2005

Date of submission to InfoShop 02/24/2005

Resettlement Action Plan/Framework (Actual)

Date of receipt by the Bank 12/24/2004

Date of "in-country" disclosure 02/28/2005

Date of submission to InfoShop 02/28/2005

IV. APPROVALS

|Signed and submitted by: | | |

|Task Team Leader: |Mr Amarquaye Armar |03/03/2005 |

|Approved by: | | |

|Regional Safeguards Coordinator: |Mr Thomas E. Walton |03/04/2005 |

|Comments: |

|Sector Manager: |Mr Joel J. Maweni |03/04/2005 |

|Comments: |

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[1] Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in-country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons.

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