Initial Environmental Assessment Report Project Number: 49214-002 July 2017 IND: Solar Transmission Sector Project (Transmission System for Ultra-Mega Solar Power Park at Pavagada, Tumkur District, Karnataka- Phase-II, Part A&B) Main Report with Annexures 1–2 Prepared by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. for the Asian Development Bank. This Environmental Assessment 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. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. 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. TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR ULTRA-MEGA SOLAR POWER PARK AT PAVAGADA, TUMKUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA-PHASE-II (PART-A) & (PART-B) ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT POWER GRID CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD. ( A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ENTERPRISE ) ESMD/IEAR/TR. SYSTEM FOR SOLAR PARK AT TUMKUR JULY.’17 CONTENTS Section Description Page No. Section - I : Project Description - 1-3 - Background - 1 - Project Objectives - 1 - Project Justification - 1 - Project Highlights - 2 - Project Scope & Present Study - 2 Section - II : Baseline Data - 4-20 - Karnataka 4 - Andhra Pradesh 15 Section- III : Policy, Legal & Regulatory Framework - 21-25 - Environmental - 21 - Social - 24 Section- IV : Approach for Route/Site Selection - 26-31 - Route Selection - 26 - Study of Alternatives - 26 4.2- Evaluation of Alternatives Route alignment for Hiriyur - Mysore 400 - 27 kV D/c line - Evaluation of Alternatives Route alignment for Tumkur PS to - 29 Devanahalli 400 kV D/c (quad) line - Substation - 30 Section - V : Potential Environmental Impacts, Their Evaluation & - 32-42 Management - Impact due to Project Location & Design - 32 - Environmental Problem due to Design - 35 - Environmental Problems during Construction Phase - 36 - Environmental Problems Resulting from Operation - 38 - Critical Environmental Review Criteria - 40 - Public Consultation - 40 - Conclusion - 42 Section- VI : Institutional Arrangement & Monitoring - 43-59 - Environmental Monitoring Programme in POWERGRID - 43 - Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) - 45 - Environment Review - 45 LIST OF ENCLOSURES S. No. Title/Name Description Annexure 1 Annexure -1 Guideline issued by Govt of India regarding RoW compensation 2 Annexure- 2 Tree / crop Compensation Procedure 3 Annexure -3 CEA Gazette Notification for Electrical Safety 4 Annexure -4 Safety Plan 5 Annexure -5 Health, Safety & Environment Conditions in Contract Document 6 Annexure -6 Health & Safety Checklists 7 Annexure -7 Report of PTI on EMF 8 Annexure -8 Procedure of Public Consultation 9 Annexure -9 Details of Public Consultation 10 Annexure -10 Estimated Budget 11 Annexure-11 Format for Environment Safeguard Monitoring Report Exhibit 12 Exhibit -1 Schematic Map Showing the Proposed Subprojects 13 Exhibit -2 Organisational Support Structure for EMP & ESPP Implementation Figure 14 Figure -1 400 kV line Depicting actual position along with RoW and extent of damage 15 Figure- 1a 400 kV Tower base showing impact on agricultural land and crop 16 Figure -2 Typical Plan of Transmission Line Tower Footings Showing Actual Ground Position and Extent of Impact 17 Figure- 2a Schematic Diagram indicating Area of Influence/Impact of 400kV Transmission Line Map 19 Map -1 Alternatives Route alignment of Hiriyur – Mysore 400kV D/c (quad) line 20 Map -2 Alternatives Route alignment of Tumkur (Pavagada) – Devanahally (KPTCL) 400kV (Quad) D/c line SECTION - I: PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.0 BACKGROUND Government of India has taken up the initiative for development of Ultra Mega Solar Power Parks (UMSPP) in various parts of the country. As part of above initiative, an ultra-mega solar power park of 2000 MW capacity is being developed by M/s Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Ltd. (KSPDCL) (JVC of SECI & KREDL) at Pavagada in Tumkur district of Karnataka in two phases with 1000MW in each phase. Keeping in view short gestation period of solar generation project and time required for development of evacuation system, it is proposed that the transmission scheme may be implemented in different phases commensurate to the power transfer requirement. MoP vide letter dated 08.01.15 & 04.08.15 intimated POWERGRID for taking up of transmission system for evacuation of power from 9 solar generating parks being set up in 7 States along with pooling stations as ISTS Scheme, including subject Tumkur (Pavagada) UMSPP on compressed time schedule basis. This interstate transmission scheme for Tumkur (Pavagada) UMSPP was discussed and agreed in 39th Standing committee meeting on Power System Planning of Southern region held on 28-29th December 2015 and also ratified in the 29th meeting of Southern Region Power Committee (SRPC) held on 05.03.2016. The Prior approval of the Government of India under Section 68 of the Electricity (supply) Act, 2003 for the subject project has been obtained vide CEA letter dated 23.02.2016. The present environment assessment report covers the Transmission system for ultra- mega solar power park at Pavagada, Tumkur district, Karnataka-Phase-II (Part-A) and (Part-B). 1.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVE: The objective is to improve import capability of Southern Region and transmitting harnessed solar power, which is another sustainable alternative, renewable and non- polluting form of energy and does not emit any Green House Gases (GHGs) or harmful wastes. 1.2 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION KSPDCL proposed to develop an ultra-mega solar power park of 2000 MW capacity at Pavagada in Tumkur district of Karnataka. Power from above project is envisaged to be transferred to other beneficiaries of southern region including Karnataka. The proposed project to be developed in two phases, with 1000 MW generation capacity in each phase (Total Capacity: 2000 MW). In order to facilitate pooling of power from various solar modules within the park as well as to evacuate & transfer of power from Tumkur (Pavagada site) UMSPP, establishment of 400/220 kV pooling station at Tumkur is proposed as part of Phase-I scheme. For this LILO of 400 kV Gooty -Tumkur (Vasantnarsapur) D/c line as well as LILO of 400 kV Bellary Pool- Tumkur (Vasantnarsapur) D/c line at Tumkur Pooling station, which is passing nearby to Pavagada site location, is proposed under Phase-I transmission scheme. In addition to this Tumkur pooling station is proposed to be interconnected to 400 kV Hiriyur (POWERGRID) substation. IEAR FOR TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR UMSP AT TUMKUR PHASE-II (PART A & B) 1 For transfer of Tumkur (Pavagada) Phase- II solar generation (1000 MW), 400kV Hiriyur -Mysore D/c line is proposed which upon completion shall be joined with 400kV Tumkur (Pavagada)- Hiriyur D/c section near Hiriyur and shall be bypassed at Hiriyur so as to establish 400kV Tumkur – Mysore D/c direct line. For further dispersal of power to load centers in Bangalore region, augmentation of transformation capacity (1x500 MVA) at 400/220kV Tumkur (Vasantnarsapur) substation is also proposed. For additional 1000 MW capacity augmentation of transformation capacity by 2x500 MVA at Tumkur (Pavagada) pooling station has been kept under the scope of Part-A of Phase-II scheme. In order to address reactive power management aspects including during low/no solar generation periods, reactive compensation in the form of bus reactor (1x125 MVAr) at Tumkur (Pavagada) PS as well as line reactors (80 MVAr) at Mysore end of Hiriyur-Mysore D/c line are proposed. Further to cater to growing demand in Bangalore area and concerns in bay availability in existing substations, a 400 kV new substation at Devanahally near Bangalore is envisaged by Karnataka Power Transmission Company Ltd. (KPTCL). In order to take care of drawl by Karnataka from Tumkur project, 400 kV Tumkur (Pavagada)- Devanahally (KPTCL) D/c line, is proposed under the scope of Phase-II (Part-B) scheme of Tumkur (Pavagada) ultra-mega solar power park 1.3 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS a) Project : Transmission system for Ultra Mega Solar Park at Tumkur (Pavagada), Karnataka – Phase II Part A Part B b) Location of the Project : Southern Region Southern Region c) Project Cost : Rs. 394.18 Crores at Rs. 426.21 Crores at June December 2015 Price 2016 Price Level (including Level (including IDC IDC of Rs. 22.23 Crores) of Rs. 17.11 Crores) d) Commissioning : 27 months from the 27 months from the date of Schedule date of Investment Investment Approval Approval 1.4 PROJECT SCOPE & PRESENT STUDY The present Initial Environment Assessment Report (IEAR)1 is a document developed to identify possible environmental and social issues associated with construction of proposed 400 kV transmission lines and augmentation/extension of associated substations in the State of Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh. The IEAR provides insight on possible environment & social issues and list management measures to minimize/mitigate them based on POWERGRID’s Environmental and Social Policy & Procedures (ESPP) and Action Plan for Safeguards developed for use of the Country Safeguard System (CSS) under the ADB Safeguard Policy Statement, 2009 (SPS). The present IEAR covers transmission system of both Part-A & Part- B under Phase-II with following scope of work; A. Transmission system proposed under Part-A of Phase-II: Hiriyur