Romanche-Gavet
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Official Assessment EDF Romanche-Gavet France Final 11/09/2013 Client: EDF (Électricité de France SA) Lead Assessor: Doug Smith, Senior Sustainability Specialist, International Hydropower Association Co‐assessors: Simon Howard, Sustainability Specialist, International Hydropower Association, Dr Bernt Rydgren, ÅF Industry Assessor‐in‐training: Inger Poveda Björklund, Senior Consultant, ÅF Hydropower Assessment Date: 10/06/13 to 14/06/13 Project stage: Implementation Project size: 94 MW Project type: Run of River Cover page photo: Plant, weirs and transmission line at Les Clavaux, which will be removed, restoring visual amenity and ecological continuity. Romanche-Gavet, France www.hydrosustainability.org | i Acronyms Acronym Full Text AAH Agence Achats Hydraulique / Group Procurement for Hydropower AAPPMA Association Agréée de Pêche et de Protection des Milieux Aquatiques ABF Architecte des Bâtiments de France ARS Agence Régionale de Santé BETCGB Bureau d'Etude Technique et de Contrôle des Grands Barrages (Bureau of Technical Study and Control of Large Dams) CBR Campenon Bernard Région, lead contractor on the intake and dam construction CG38 Conseil Général 38 Isère CIH Centre d’ Ingénierie Hydraulique CISSCT Collèges Interentreprises de Sécurité, de Santé et des Conditions de Travail CLE Commission Locale de l'Eau CNPN Conseil National de Protection de la Nature COPIL Comité de Pilotage / Management Committee COTOREP Commission Technique d’Orientation et de Reclassement Professionnel COVAP Comité de Validation de Project / Project Validation Committee CTPBOH Comité Technique Permanent des Barrages et des Ouvrages Hydrauliques CTSH Comité Technique de Sûreté Hydraulique DCRFI Département Côntrole des Risques Financiers et Investissements DEKRA Audit office in charge of the Contrôle Technique de la Construction DPI Division Production Ingénierie DPIH Division Production Ingénierie Hydraulique DRAC Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles DREAL Direction Régionale de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement DTG Division Technique Générale EAP Environmental Assurance Plan EDF Electricité de France EMS Environmental Management System ENGO Environmental Non‐governmental Organisation ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, used to the refer to the Environmental and Social Studies conducted in 1999 for the Romanche‐Gavet project FRAPNA Fédération Rhône‐Alpes de Protection de la Nature ICOLD International Commission on Large Dams IEA International Energy Agency IHA International Hydropower Association Romanche-Gavet, France www.hydrosustainability.org | ii IPHE‐S Ingénierie du Parc Hydraulique en Exploitation – Sûreté MEEDDM Ministère de l’Ecologie, du Développement Durable et de l’Energie MOA Maitrise d’Ouvrages / Manager of Works MOE Maîtrise d'Œuvre / Manager of Studies MRE Maison Romanche Energie OH&S Occupational Health and Safety ONEMA Office National de l'Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques QSSE Quality, Security, Safety and Environment RDD Risques et Développement Durable SER Syndicat des Energies Renouvables SIERG Syndicat Intercommunal des Eaux de la Région Grenobloise SPIE Lead Contractor on Tunnelling Works SPS Sécurité et Protection de la Santé TBM Tunnel Boring Machines UFE Union Francaise de Electricité UP Alpes Unité de Production Alpes VCT Vinci Construction Terrassement WBCSD World Business Council for Sustainable Development ZNIEFF Zone Naturelle d'Intérêt Ecologique, Faunistique et Floristique Romanche-Gavet, France www.hydrosustainability.org | iii Table of Contents Acronyms .................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... v Sustainability Profile ..................................................................................................................vii Table of Significant Gaps .......................................................................................................... viii Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 1 Communications and Consultation (I‐1) ............................................................................. 7 2 Governance (I‐2) ............................................................................................................... 12 3 Environmental and Social Issues Management (I‐3) ....................................................... 18 4 Integrated Project Management (I‐4) ............................................................................... 25 5 Infrastructure Safety (I‐5) ................................................................................................. 30 6 Financial Viability (I‐6) ....................................................................................................... 35 7 Project Benefits (I‐7) ......................................................................................................... 39 8 Procurement (I‐8) .............................................................................................................. 43 9 Project‐Affected Communities and Livelihoods (I‐9) ........................................................ 48 10 Resettlement (I‐10) ........................................................................................................... 54 11 Indigenous Peoples (I‐11) ................................................................................................. 54 12 Labour and Working Conditions (I‐12) .............................................................................. 55 13 Cultural Heritage (I‐13) ..................................................................................................... 62 14 Public Health (I‐14) ........................................................................................................... 69 15 Biodiversity and Invasive Species (I‐15) ............................................................................ 72 16 Erosion and Sedimentation (I‐16) ..................................................................................... 78 17 Water Quality (I‐17) .......................................................................................................... 84 18 Waste, Noise and Air Quality (I‐18) .................................................................................. 89 19 Reservoir Preparation and Filling (I‐19) ............................................................................ 93 20 Downstream Flow Regimes (I‐20) ..................................................................................... 96 Appendix A: Written Support of the Project Developer ........................................................ 100 Appendix B: Verbal Evidence ................................................................................................. 101 Appendix C: Documentary Evidence ...................................................................................... 104 Appendix D: Visual Evidence .................................................................................................. 131 Romanche-Gavet, France www.hydrosustainability.org | iv Executive Summary This report presents the findings of an assessment of the Romanche‐Gavet Project using the Implementation Stage tool of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol. The Romanche‐Gavet project is a 94 MW project in the implementation stage, located on the right bank of the middle section of the Romanche river in the Isère department in south‐eastern France. The project will replace six facilities on the Romanche River which were built in the early 20th century and have a total capacity of 82 MW, thereby increasing average annual generation by over 30%. This assessment was carried out over the period May to July 2013, with an on‐ site assessment encompassing a visit to the project site and interviews with stakeholders conducted in the week beginning 10th June 2013. This assessment meets the requirements of an Official assessment, as set out in the Terms and Conditions for the Use of the Protocol. Romanche‐Gavet has relatively limited adverse environmental and social impacts, and has the potential to deliver long term benefits for the local community. The design of the project directly addresses the need to reduce adverse impacts of hydropower generation in the Romanche valley through the removal of the old plants and water transport infrastructure, improvement in conditions for recreation and tourism, and use of some of the decommissioned plants for cultural heritage conservation or economic purposes. EDF holds two concessions to operate the plants, one for the construction and operation of the new project, and one for the operation and then decommissioning by 2020 of the six existing plants. Under the French concession system, the French state remains the owner of the facilities. A range of governmental and regulatory authorities are also involved in the preparation and implementation of the new project, and the decommissioning of the existing plants. The findings of this assessment reflect very high performance against the Protocol topics and criteria. EDF and its partners meet this high level of performance through a combination of EDF’s corporate