EDF RENEWABLES CONSORTIUM - MASDAR - GREEN OF AFRICA Province of Midelt Specific environmental and social impact assessment of the solar power plant project NOOR MIDELT I Ref: C 330 / R372-04 HCD / CL June 2019 EDF RENEWABLES CONSORTIUM - MASDAR - GREEN OF AFRICA NOOR MIDELT I CONSORTIUM EDF RENEWABLES - MASDAR - GREEN OF AFRICA Province of Midelt Midelt Specific Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of NOOR Midelt 1 solar power plant project This report was written with the collaboration of: Drafting Verification Validation Object of Date Index the index Name Signature Name Signature Name Signature Hinde Cherkaoui Dekkaki Report Août 2018 01 C.Léger C.Léger F. Cuzin A. Qninba Mr Fezzaz Report including September 02 C.Léger C.Léger C.Léger EDF EN remarks Report including October 03 C.Léger C.Léger C.Léger new Layout F. Cuzin Report A.Qninba including June 2019 04 W. Rahiq C.Léger C.Léger IFIS Yoann Long comments C.Léger Contract / report number: Ref: C 330 / R372-04 Case number: A 1330 Technical field: Environment PHENIXA 7 rue Cadi Hammadi Senahji - RABAT - MOROCCO Tel: 00212 537 20 80 88 - Fax: 00212 537 7289111 www.phenixa.com Ref: C 330 / R372-04 HCD / CL June 2019 Page 2 /258 EDF RENEWABLES CONSORTIUM - MASDAR - GREEN OF AFRICA NOOR MIDELT I AUTHORS OF THE STUDY Christine LEGER: Expert in Environmental Impact Studies - Project Leader Youssef El Kayssi: Hydrogeologist specialist Mohamed Fezzaz: Expert in Socio-economy Fabrice Cuzin: Fauna and Flora Expert Abdeljabbar Qninba: Ornithologist, founding and active member of GREPOM M. El Agbani: Ornithology, founding and active member of GREPOM Yoann Long, air quality modelling Hinde Cherkaoui Dekkaki: PhD hydrogeologist and environment expert Wafae Rahiq: Cartographer Ref: C 330 / R372-04 HCD / CL June 2019 Page 3 /258 EDF RENEWABLES CONSORTIUM - MASDAR - GREEN OF AFRICA NOOR MIDELT I PREAMBLE The EDF EN-MASDAR - GREEN of AFRICA consortium has entrusted to the Phénixa engineering consultant to carry out the specific environmental and social impact studies (SESIA) of the two NOOR Midelt I and II solar power plants within the NOOR solar complex. The site of the NOOR Midelt solar complex extends on a plateau in Upper Moulouya about 20 km Northeast of the town of Midelt. It is accessible by a road developed by MASEN about twenty kilometres from the RN13 which connects Meknes to Midelt. Administratively, the site of the Midelt solar complex as a whole is related to the following structures: Daraa - Tafilelt Economic Region; Province: Midelt; Municipalities of Mibladene and Ait Ben Yacoub in the province of Midelt. The site of the solar complex of NOOR Midelt covers a total area of 4141 hectares, of which 950 towards the far west will be reserved for NOOR Midelt I. As a whole, the site of the complex was composed of collective lands, that are now MASEN property. These collective lands covering about 2714 ha, belonged to the Ait Oueflla ethnic community and Ait Rahou Ouali. The site also includes forest lands covering about 1427 ha, property of Water and Forest administration. MASEN has already finalized the land acquisition procedure for the site of this complex. This acquisition is dealt with as part of the acquisition plan prepared in addition to the FESIA already developed. An environmental and social impact study was conducted in 2015 on the entire site (Midelt solar complex) and environmental acceptability has been given. This document constitutes the specific environmental and social study of the NOOR Midelt I project. The SESIA is compliant with all recommendations and commitments issued from FESIA. In the context of this SESIA, and following the current national regulations, the Consulting Engineer (CE) must essentially identify the main impacts or the positive and negative effects that may be generated by the realization of the project. A set of compensating and/or mitigating measures must also be proposed for each negative effect. Finally, a monitoring and environmental monitoring program must be developed. In application of the EIA Law 12.03 and in accordance with the requirements of international lenders, the objectives of this study are: To evaluate in a methodical and preliminary manner, the potential impacts, the direct and indirect, temporary and permanent effects of the project on the environment in particular, an on the human, biological and physical environments, To Remove, mitigate and compensate for the negative impacts of the project; To inform the population concerned about the negative impacts of the project on the environment. The present report concerns the specific environmental and social impact assessment, of which the overall file will be composed of two volumes: Volume 1 - Including the SESIA main report; Volume 2 - Including the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP). This document corresponds to volume 1. It includes the SESIA report of the NOOR Midelt I project and its NTS. Ref: C 330 / R372-04 HCD / CL June 2019 Page 4 /258 EDF RENEWABLES CONSORTIUM - MASDAR - GREEN OF AFRICA NOOR MIDELT I TABLE OF CONTENTS AUTHORS OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 3 PREAMBLE ......................................................................................................................... 4 ABBREVIATION ............................................................................................................... 14 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 15 1.1 General Background ............................................................................................................ 15 1.2 Structure of documents ....................................................................................................... 15 2. Project objectives, location and alternatives ....................................................... 16 2.1 Key objectives of the project .............................................................................................. 16 2.2 Geographical location of the project .................................................................................. 16 2.3 Site conditions and land use ............................................................................................... 18 2.4 Potential sensitive receptors .............................................................................................. 18 2.4.1 "No Project" option .................................................................................................................... 18 2.4.2 Alternative solar technologies ................................................................................................... 18 2.4.3 Site alternatives ......................................................................................................................... 19 3. Legal and institutional environment ..................................................................... 20 3.1 The legal context .................................................................................................................. 20 3.1.1 Moroccan legislation applicable to the project ........................................................................... 20 3.1.2 Main international conventions applicable to the project ........................................................... 35 3.1.3 Presentation of international requirements ................................................................................ 39 3.2 Gap analysis ......................................................................................................................... 53 3.3 EDF Environmental policy ................................................................................................... 60 3.4 Moroccan institutional framework ...................................................................................... 62 3.5 MOROCCAN INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT ................ 65 3.5.1 Office National de l’Electricité et de l’eau potable (ONEE) ........................................................ 65 3.5.2 The Department of Energy and Mining, MEMDD ...................................................................... 65 3.5.3 MASEN ..................................................................................................................................... 65 4. Project's design ...................................................................................................... 66 4.1 Operating principle of the plant .......................................................................................... 66 4.1.1 Operating principle of PV power plant ....................................................................................... 67 4.1.2 Operating principle of CSP power plant .................................................................................... 68 4.2 Accommodation, Equipment and Facilities ....................................................................... 68 4.2.1 PV field ...................................................................................................................................... 70 4.2.2 CSP field ................................................................................................................................... 71 4.2.3 Power block............................................................................................................................... 72 4.2.4 Thermal oil management system