Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study Report for the Proposed Construction of 40 Mw Kitui Solar Park Project at Kitui
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF 40 MW KITUI SOLAR PARK PROJECT AT KITUI ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS AFRICA WASTE AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT CENTRE Top Plaza, 4th Floor Office Suite 8, Kilimani, along Kindaruma Road, off Ngong Road. P.O. Box 14365-00100, NAIROBI Tel : +254 (0) 202 012 408/ (0) 704 333 166, E-mail : [email protected], Website : www.awemac.co.ke AWEMAC PROPONENT LOOOP INC Ueno Frontier Tower 3-24-6 Ueno, Taito-ku Tokyo 110-0005 JAPAN JUNE 2018 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study Report for Kitui 40MW Solar Power Farm Project, Kitui County, Kenya , 2018 PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION 40MW SOLAR POWER FARM ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY REPORT LIST OF PLANNING AND PARTICIPATING CONSULTANTS NAME QUALIFICATIONS Prof Jacob K. Kibwage PhD in Environmental Studies Lead Expert, Reg. No. 0126 Ms. Grace M. Momanyi MA Project Planning and Management Lead Expert Reg. No. 7631 Mr. Festus Mutiso M.Sc. Forestry Lead Expert Reg.No.6467 Mr. Fredrick Juma Msc. Applied Geospatial Information Systems Lead Expert Reg.No.7512 and Remote Sensing, Mr. Edwin Mwashinga MSc. Environmental Science Associate Expert Reg. No. 8385 Mr. Andrew Karanja MSc. Environmental Management Associate Expert Reg. No. 6166 Mr. Dominic Munyao B. Sc. Environmental Science Lead Expert Reg. No. 2203 Mr. Davis Kilonzo B.Sc. Environmental Studies Planning and Management Associate Expert, Reg. No.2110 Ms. Sharon Wafula Bachelor of Science (Geography and Natural Resources Management) with IT. Associate Expert, Reg No.9559 Ms. Rachel Maithya B. Sc. Environmental Conservation and Natural Associate Expert, Reg No. 7746 Resource Management Mr. Geraoid Keiti B. Sc. Environmental Science Associate Expert, Reg. No. 7818 Mr. Rogers Mutua B Sc. Environmental Management Associate Expert, Reg. No 8549 Ms. Rebecca Nyagaka Bachelor of Community Development Mr. Jeremiah Onyancha B.Sc. Natural Resource Management ii AWEMAC © 2018 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study Report for Kitui 40MW Solar Power Farm Project, Kitui County, Kenya , 2018 ACRONYMS 0C Degrees Celsius AC Alternating Current AfDB African Development Bank asl Above sea level CGoK County Government of Kitui CPP Consultation and Public Participation DC Direct Current EMCA Environmental Management Coordination Act ERC Energy Regulatory Commission ESAP Environmental and Social Assessment Procedures ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan FGDs Focused Group Discussions FiT Feed-in-Tariff GDC Geothermal Development Company GHGs Green House Gases GoK Government of Kenya HWM Household Waste Management IEA Initial Environmental Audit IFC International Finance Corporation IPPs Independent Power Producers JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency KeFRI Kenya Forestry Research Institute KM Kilometers Kwh Kilowatts hour KWS Kenya Wildlife Services LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas LV Low Voltage MoE Ministry of Energy MW Mega watts NEC National Environment Council NEMA National Environment Management Authority NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations NLC National Lands Commission NPEP National Poverty Eradication Plan O&M Operation and Maintenance PPAs Power Purchase Agreements iii AWEMAC © 2018 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study Report for Kitui 40MW Solar Power Farm Project, Kitui County, Kenya , 2018 PPE Personal Protective Equipment PV Photovoltaic technology RES Renewable Energy Sources SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SWM Solid Waste Management TOR Terms of Reference UNEP United Nations Environmental Programme VAT Value Added Tax WRA Water Resources Authority iv AWEMAC © 2018 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study Report for Kitui 40MW Solar Power Farm Project, Kitui County, Kenya , 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................................. III LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................................... X LIST OF PLATES ...................................................................................................................................................... X LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................................. XI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... XII 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ........................................... 1 1.2 THE ENERGY SECTOR IN KENYA ...................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 SCOPE OBJECTIVE AND CRITERIA OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) .......... 5 1.3.1 Objective of the study ............................................................................................................................. 5 1.3.2 Scope ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.3 Terms of Reference (TOR) for the ESIA Process ................................................................................... 6 1.3.4 Data collection procedures .................................................................................................................... 7 1.3.5 ESIA organization and structure ........................................................................................................... 7 1.3.6 Reporting and documentation ................................................................................................................ 8 1.3.7 Responsibilities and undertaking ........................................................................................................... 8 1.3.8 Methodology outline .............................................................................................................................. 8 1.3.8.1 Environmental screening ................................................................................................................................... 8 1.3.8.2 Environmental scoping ...................................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.8.3 Desktop study .................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.8.4 Site assessment and public participation ........................................................................................................... 9 1.3.8.5 Reporting ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................ 10 2.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 10 2.2 PROJECT RATIONALE ..................................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 LOCATION AND SIZE OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................. 11 2.4 PROJECT’S SURROUNDING .............................................................................................................................. 11 2.5 PROJECT TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................ 12 2.5.1 PV Plants Concept ............................................................................................................................... 12 2.5.2 Transmission Line ................................................................................................................................ 13 2.5.3 Grid Connectivity ................................................................................................................................. 13 2.5.2.1 OPTION 1: CONNECTION TO KIAMBERE-RABAI 220 KV LINE ........................................................ 13 2.5.2.2 OPTION 2: CONNECTION TO MATUU-MWINGI 33 KV LINE ................................................................... 14 2.5.2.3 OPTION 3: CONNECTION TO MWINGI-WOTE 132 KV LINE ................................................................ 14 2.6 DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROJECT’S PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES .................................................................... 15 2.7 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT’S CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES............................................................................. 16 2.7.1 Site preparation works ......................................................................................................................... 16 2.7.2 Storage of materials ............................................................................................................................. 16 2.7.3