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AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP PROJECT : GRID REINFORCEMENT AND RURAL ELECTRIFICATIN PROJECT COUNTRY : COTE D’IVOIRE SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) Project Team: R. KITANDALA, Power Engineer, ONEC.1 P. DJAIGBE, Chief Energy Officer, ONEC.1/SNFO M.L. KINANE, Principal Environmentalist, ONEC.3 S. BAIOD, Environmentalist/Consultant, ONEC.3 Project Team Sector Director: A. RUGUMBA, Director, ONEC Regional Director: J.K. LITSE, Acting Director, ORWA Division Manager: A. ZAKOU, Division Manager, ONEC.1 1 GRID REINFORCEMENT AND RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT ESIA Summary Project Name : GRID REINFORCEMENT AND RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT Country : COTE D’IVOIRE Project Reference Number : P-CI-FA0-014 Department : ONEC Division: ONEC 1 1. INTRODUCTION This document is the summary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Grid Reinforcement and Rural Electrification Project. The project ESIA was prepared in August 2015. This summary was prepared in accordance with Ivoirian environmental and social requirements and the African Development Bank’s Integrated Safeguards System (ISS) for Category I projects. The project description and rationale are first presented followed by the country’s legal and institutional framework. The description of the project’s main environmental conditions is presented as well as options that are compared in terms of technical, economic, environmental and social feasibility. Environmental and social impacts are summarised and inevitable ones identified during the preparation, construction and operational phases of the transmission lines. Next, it recommends improvement measures such as rural electrification, mitigation measures proposed to enhance benefits and/or prevent and minimise negative impacts, and a monitoring programme. Public consultations held during the conduct of the ESIA are presented along with complementary project-related initiatives. The conclusion indicates the project’s acceptability. 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE The Grid Reinforcement and Rural Electrification Project aims to reinforce power transmission infrastructure to supplement the primary network, ensure its sustainability and at the same time upgrade and balance available power. It is part of the Ivorian State’s electrification programme under the Electricity Sector Emergency Rehabilitation Project (PURE), supervised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Power. The transmission component aims to: (i) construct a 225/90/30 kV substation at Duékoué; (ii) construct a 90/30 kV substation at Zagné; (iii) construct a 77 km, 90kV electric line from Duékoué substation to that of Zagné; (iv) double to 128 km the length of the 225kV electric line from the existing substation at Soubré to the San Pédro substation; (v) extend the Soubré substation; (vi) strengthen the San Pédro substation and transform Bingerville into a 225/90 source substation. The project also plans to extend rural electrification to 250 localities not served by the primary network in the wider project impact area (PIA) to address the population’s lack of coverage. 3. POLICY, LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE OR INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 3.1 GENERAL FRAMEWORK The Energy Project’s policy framework comprises the environmental and social policies of such institutions as the African Development Bank and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as those in force in Cote d’Ivoire. The legal framework consists of key legal, environmental and social provisions promulgated by the country. It also comprises applicable international conventions to which the country is party. 2 GRID REINFORCEMENT AND RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT ESIA Summary 3.2 POLICY FRAMEWORK The environmental policy of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire is based on its Constitution, many provisions of which concern environmental protection. The country initiated the Cote d’Ivoire National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE-CI), a document which sets out Government’s policy guidelines on the environment. It is based on: (i) sustainable management of agricultural development; (ii) preservation of biodiversity; (iii) management of human settlements; (iv) management of coastal areas; (v) control of industrial pollution and nuisances; (vi) integrated water management; (vii) improvement of energy resources; (viii) research, education, training and awareness; (ix) integrated and coordinated management of environmental information; and (x) improvement of the institutional and regulatory framework. It was applied to develop the country’s Environmental Code in 1996, the Water Code in 1998, and to monitor a series of environmental laws. It therefore served as a basis for the design of a conducive legislative framework for sustainable development. In December 2013, AfDB adopted its Integrated Safeguards System (ISS) to consolidate and modernize the environmental and social safeguards in force. The ISS rests on previous safeguard policies. Its objectives are to: (i) better harmonise safeguards with new Bank policies and strategies; (ii) adopt international good practices, including on climate change; (iii) adapt policy implementation to an ever-changing array of lending products and innovative financing methods; (iv) work towards better harmonization of safeguard practices among multilateral financial institutions; (v) adopt customized safeguard methods tailored to diverse clients with diverse capacities; and (vi) improve internal processes and resource allocation. 3.3 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK The country’s regulatory framework is directly linked to and/or associated with environmental and social themes: (i) Law No. 96-766 on the Environmental Code; (ii) Decree No. 96-894 laying down rules and procedures applicable to environmental impact assessments of development projects; (iii) Decree No. 97-393 establishing ANDE; (iv) Decree No. 2005-03 on environmental audit. The legal mechanism for expropriation for reasons of public interest is enshrined in: (v) the Decree of 25 November 1930; (vi) Law No. 98-750 on rural land and the associated Decree No. 99-594 laying down terms and conditions for its implementation; (vii) Decree No. 2013-224 of 22 March 2013 regulating redemption of customary rights on land for general interest; (viii) Law No. 94-442 of 16 August 1994 on the protection of wildlife and practice of hunting, Annexes I, II and III of which identifies a set of fully protected and partially protected species; (ix) Law No. 2000-16 of 20 November 2000 instituting the Forestry Code; (vi) Law No. 23/62 fixing rates and rules of collection of land taxes and investigation fees related to dangerous, insanitary and nuisance-causing establishments; (vii) Law No. 65-425 to instituting Part II of the Forestry Code; (viii) Law No. 98-755 of 23 December 1998 instituting the Water Code and sets targets for preserving the quality of ground and surface water. Law No. 95-15 of 12 January 1995 instituting the Labour Code, amended by Law No. 97-400 of 11 July 1997 regulates employer-employee relations, defines conditions for ensuring measures of hygiene, safety and health at the work place and Law No. 88-651 of 7 July 1988 relating to the protection of public health. 3.4 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK The Ivorian Government comprises several ministries which assume and exercise specific responsibilities. Ministers have powers to authorize developments in administrative spheres that are under their jurisdiction. The ministries include: (i) the Ministry of Petroleum and Power (MPE); (ii) the Ministry of the Environment, Urban Sanitation and Sustainable Development; (iii) the Ministry of Water and Forestry (MINEF); (iv) the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRA), and (v) the Ministry in charge of Construction, Housing, Sanitation and Town Planning (MCLAU). 3 GRID REINFORCEMENT AND RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT ESIA Summary Structures under supervision are: (i) the Cote d’Ivoire Power Company (CI-ENERGIES); (ii) the National Environment Agency (ANDE); and (iii) Ivorian Parks and Reserves Authority (OIPR). 4 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ENVIRONMENT 4.1 PROJECT AREA The project area covers four (4) administrative regions (“Départements”) of Cote d’Ivoire: Gbémon, comprising the town of Duékoué; Cavally, comprising the locality of Zagné; Nawa, comprising the locality of Soubré; and San Pédro comprising the town of San Pédro, as well as the District of Abidjan for the Bingerville substation. The project’s direct target area comprises the Douékoué, Zagny and Bingerville substations as well as the corridors of the Douékoué- Zagny and Soubré-San Pédro lines, including connections. Figure 1 Project Area 4.2 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS The project area falls within the sub-equatorial climate zone with mean annual rainfall of over 1,600 mm. Rainfall diminishes gradually from 2,000 mm/year to 1,700 mm/year as one moves from South to North. The analysis of normal 1971-2000 versus 1961-1990 values shows an average 6% reduction of peak rainfall across the country with significant drop of 13% in the South-West and 11% in the South-East. There has been a significant shortage of rainfall since the 1980s compared to the 1951-1980 average. Rainfall in the study area is characterised at Soubré, Douekoué and Zagny by a first rainy season (major rainy season) which runs from March to June, with maximum totals recorded in June, and a second (minor rainy season) which runs from September to October. Between these 4 GRID REINFORCEMENT AND RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT ESIA Summary two rainy seasons, total monthly rainfall in the dry season is