Environmental Monitoring Report Semestral Report Project Number: 41614-023 January 2014 Period: July – December 2013 IND: Assam Power Sector Enhancement Investment Program – Tranche 1 Prepared by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) for the Asian Development Bank. This environmental monitoring report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Report Reporting Period: From July 2013 to December 2013 Loan No. 2592 - Tranche I Assam Power Sector Enhancement Investment Program Prepared by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited for the Asian Development Bank This environmental safeguard monitoring report is a document of the borrower and made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s Public Communications Policy 2011 and the Safeguard Policy Statement 2009. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s Board of Directors, Management, or staff. TABLE OF CONTENTS SL. NO. ITEMS PAGE Abbreviations Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction 4 1.1 Brief Project Description 4 1.2 Project Progress Status and Implementation Schedule 5 A. Progress Status 5 B. Implementation Schedule for Tranche I Sub projects 8 2.0 Compliance to National Regulations 10 3.0 Compliance to Environmental Covenants from the ADB Loan 11 Agreement 4.0 Compliance to Safeguards Management Plan 12 5.0 Safeguards Monitoring Results and Unanticipated Impacts 17 A. Environmental Monitoring Schedule: 17 B. Environmental Monitoring Parameters 17 C. Air Quality Parameters 18 D. Water Air Quality Parameters 18 E. Ambient Noise Levels 19 6.0 Implementation of Grievance Redress Mechanism and Complaints 19 Received from Stakeholders 7.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 20 ANNEXURE - 1 Summary Ambient Air Quality Results (Transmission Lines) 21 ANNEXURE - 2 Summary Ambient Air Quality Results (Sub Stations) 25 ANNEXURE - 3 Ambient Air Quality Standards, CPCB 2009 26 ANNEXURE – 4.1 Details of Water Quality Monitoring Locations (Along T/L) 28 ANNEXURE – 4.2 Summary of Water Quality Results (Along Transmission Lines) 32 ANNEXURE – 5.1 Details of Water Quality Monitoring Locations (For Sub Stations) 41 ANNEXURE – 5.2 Summary of Water Quality Monitoring Results (For Sub Stations) 42 ANNEXURE - 6 Water Quality Standards 43 ANNEXURE - 7 Summary Noise Level Results (Transmission Lines) 45 ANNEXURE - 8 Summary Noise Level Results (Sub Stations) 51 ANNEXURE - 9 Ambient Noise Standards 52 ANNEXURE - 10 Air, Water & Noise Monitoring Location Maps 53 LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO. ITEMS PAGE 1.0 Sub-Projects under Tranche I 4 2.0 Status of Environment activities in Tranche I Substations 5 2.1 Status of Environment activities in Tranche I Transmission Lines 7 3.0 Implementation Schedule for Tranche I 9 4.0 Applicable Acts and Legislations to the project 10 5.0 Environmental Covenants 11 6.0 Compliance Status on Environmental Issues in Tranche I Subprojects: 13 7.0 Environment Monitoring Schedule for Tranche I (Construction Phase) 17 8.0 Environmental Monitoring Parameters 18 2 ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank AEGCL Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Ltd. APCB Assam Pollution Control Board ASEB Assam State Electricity Board ASI Archeological Survey of India CPCB Central Pollution Control Board D.C. District Collector dB Decibels EARF Environmental Assessment and Review Framework EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMA Environment Monitoring Agency EMP Environmental Management Plan ESMC Environmental and Social Management Cell ESMU Environmental and Social Management Unit GHG Greenhouse Gas GOA Government Of Assam GOI Government Of India GRC Grievance Redressal Mechanism IA Implementing Agency IEE Initial Environmental Examination IS Indian Standard Ltd. Limited LAA Land Acquisition Act MFF Multi-Tranche Financing Facility NO2 Nitrogen dioxide PAP Project Affected Persons PM10 Particulate Matter (Size less than 10 µm) PM2.5 Particulate Matter (Size less than 2.5 µm) PMU Project Management Unit PPE Personal Protective Equipment ROW Right of Way S/S Sub Station SEIA Summary Environmental Impact Assessment SIEE Summary Initial Environmental Examination SO2 Sulphur dioxide T&D Transmission and Distribution Electrical Terminology V Volt Unit of Voltage kV Kilovolt 1000 volts W Watt Unit of active power kW Kilowatt 1000 watts MW Megawatt 1000 kW MWh Megawatt hour Unit of energy VA Volt ampere Unit of apparent power MVA Million volt ampere 106 VA Transmission System 400 kV, 220kV, 132kV and/or 66kV lines supplying (incoming & outgoing feeder) grid substations (Substation) with primary voltage of 400kV, 220kV, 132kV, or 66kV LILO Line – in – Line - Out Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction: The Government of India and Government of Assam have requested ADB to provide $200 loan funding via a multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) to support continued investment in the state power sector. GOA and ASEB are the Executing Agencies for the MFF. As a part of the reforms program GoA has unbundled ASEB into three companies viz. Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL), Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Ltd. (AEGCL) and Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd. (APDCL). AEGCL, the successor company of unbundled ASEB is the Implementing Agency (IA) for Tranche-I & II of MFF. The power sector investments are necessary to support continued investment in the state power sector, which is necessary for economic growth and poverty reduction. The MFF will partly finance the expansion and augmentation of the transmission and distribution (T&D) networks. The proposed investments are necessary to: (i) facilitate increased power transfers to accommodate increased demand and economic growth; (ii) improve supply-side energy efficiency by system de-bottlenecking and reducing technical losses; (iii) reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas (GHG) and other emissions via improved system efficiency; (iv) support expanded private sector participation in distribution system operations and other energy services; and (v) facilitate poverty reduction via improved electricity services and economic growth. 1.1 Brief Project Description The proposed Assam Power Sector Enhancement Investment Program of Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) which is being processed under ADB’s Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) would have the following components in Tranche I, namely: Part A: 220/132/33kV Sub-stations Part B: 132/33kV Sub-stations Part C: 220kV Transmission lines Part D: 132kV Transmission line Part E: Augmentation, Extension and refurbishment of existing sub-stations and reactive power compensation Part F: Communication system Part G: Capacity Development Program The details of Sub-Projects under Tranche I are given below in Table No. 1.0: Table No.1.0: Sub-Projects under Tranche I Sl.No Name of the Sub-Project . Part A: 220/132 kV sub-stations MVA 1 2x100 MVA 220/132 kV Sub Station at Rangia 200 Total 200 MVA Part B: 132/33 kV sub-stations 1 2x40 MVA 132/33 kV Kamalpur grid Sub Station 80 2 2x25 MVA 132/33 kV Nagaon grid Sub Station 50 3 2x25 MVA 132/33 kV Sonari grid Sub Station 50 4 2x40 MVA 132/33 kV Bihiating grid Sub Station 80 4 5 2x25 MVA 132/33 kV Rupai grid Sub Station 50 Total 310 MVA Part C: 220 kV transmission lines Length (Km) 220 kV Double Circuit Transmission line Salakati (BTPS) - 16 3.187 1 Rangia Total 163.187 Km Part D: 132 kV transmission lines Length (Km) 132 kV Single Circuit Samaguri Nagaon on Double Circuit 1 – 41.923 Towers 13 2 kV Double Circuit LILO at Rupai from 132 kV Double 2 29.647 Circuit Tinsukia – Margherita line 132 kV Double Circuit LILO at Kamalpur from 132 kV Double 3 0.500 Circuit Rangia – Kahilipara / Sishugram line 132 kV Double Circuit LILO at Bihiating LILO from 132 kV 4 0.642 Dibrugarh – Moran line 132 kV Double Circuit LILO at Sonari from 132 kV Lakwa 5 – 4.00 Namrup line Total 76.712 km Part E: Augmentation, Extension and refurbishment of existing sub-stations and reactive power compensation 1 220/132 kV Salakati grid Sub Station – Construction of 220 kV line bays 2 220/132/33 kV Samaguri grid Sub Station – Construction of 132 kV line bays The activities that are being carried out are:- Augmentation of transformer capacity and Extension of line bay. Both the activities are being carried out on existing substation where there is no land acquisition, hence, no environmental or social issues are envisaged. Part F: Communication system Part G: Capacity Development Program Training programmes to enhance the capacity building for EA/IA between July to December, 2014. 1.2 Project Progress Status and Implementation Schedule: A. Progress Status The updated status of Environment activities for the Substations and Transmission Lines from July 2013 to December 2013 under Tranche I are given below in Table 2.0 and Table 2.1 respectively: Table No. 2.0: Status of Environment activities in Tranche I Substations Sl. Name of Sub- Status No. Project Construction of new 220/132 kV Sub Stations. (Contractor: M/S ABB Ltd.) 220 kV and 132 kV Switchyard along with the Control room works are completed. No trees felling in substation land No Forest Land acquisition for Sub Station land 1 Rangia Sub-Station No Wild life sanctuary involved in Substation land No major adverse environmental issues identified (3.33 ha of AEGCL Labour camp exists and sanitary facilities being provided barren land acquired) Water sprinkling being done to control dust. Ambient air and noise quality monitoring was conducted at this location. 5 Sl. Name of Sub- Status No. Project During construction phase water quality monitoring done for 1 groundwater sample and 1 surface water sample.