Egypt Scientific West Delta for Electricity Production Company (WDEPC) Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the New Damanhour Power Plant (1800 MW) Damanhour City, Egypt Prepared by: Egypt Scientific Work Team Prof. Dr. Elsayed Shalaby EEAA-accredited environmental consultant Chem. Noha Ali Environmental specialist and the work team: Phy. Hossam Said Chem. Heba-Allah Ali Phy. Elsayed Maher Chem. Reham Ramadan Chem. Aya Kadry July 2015 1 ESIA for the Damanhour Power Plant Environmental and Social Impacts of the Project TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Preamble ........................................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 The New Power Station .................................................................................................................. 7 1.3 Project Location .............................................................................................................................. 8 1.4 This Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ....................................................................... 9 2 LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................ 11 2.1 National framework ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.1 Environmental Framework ................................................................................................... 11 2.1.2 Social Framework ................................................................................................................. 18 2.1.3 Institutional Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................ 19 2.2 International Regulations ............................................................................................................. 19 2.2.1 African Development Bank (AfDB) Environmental and Social Policy ................................... 20 2.2.2 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) ............................................. 23 2.2.3 The European Investment Bank (EIB) ................................................................................... 27 2.2.4 Relevant EU Regulations ....................................................................................................... 32 2.2.5 International Standards ........................................................................................................ 34 2.2.6 International Conventions .................................................................................................... 35 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................... 36 3.1 PROJECT OWNER .......................................................................................................................... 36 3.2 SCOPE AND LOCATION OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................................... 36 3.3 DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT OPERATIONS .................................................................................... 39 3.4 Description of the Project ............................................................................................................ 40 3.4.1. Project overview ................................................................................................................... 40 3.4.2. The generating process ........................................................................................................ 44 3.5 BAT ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................................... 47 3.6 Additional Technical Installations ................................................................................................. 50 4 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................. 51 4.1 No-Project Alternative .................................................................................................................. 51 2 ESIA for the Damanhour Power Plant Environmental and Social Impacts of the Project 4.2 Site Alternatives ........................................................................................................................... 52 4.3 Fuel Alternatives ........................................................................................................................... 52 4.4 Technology Alternatives ............................................................................................................... 53 5 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE ................................................................................... 54 5.1 Climate and Meteorology ............................................................................................................. 54 5.2 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 57 5.2.1 Air Quality Baseline Measurements within the project site boundaries ............................. 58 5.2.2 Air Quality Baseline Measurements outside the project site boundaries ........................... 62 5.3 Noise ............................................................................................................................................. 63 5.3.1 Noise Level inside Damanhour Power Plant......................................................................... 64 5.3.2 Noise Level outside Damanhour Power Plant during daytime............................................. 65 5.4 Water and Sediment Quality in Adjacent Canals ......................................................................... 68 5.5 Geology and Soil Quality .............................................................................................................. 70 5.6 Flora and Fauna ............................................................................................................................ 70 5.7 Aquatic Ecology ............................................................................................................................ 71 5.7.1 Aquatic plants ....................................................................................................................... 71 5.7.2 Fish ........................................................................................................................................ 72 5.8 Areas of Cultural and Historical Importance ................................................................................ 73 5.9 Land Use, Landscape and Visual Appearance .............................................................................. 73 5.10 Site Baseline Hazards .................................................................................................................... 74 5.10.1 Seismic Activity ..................................................................................................................... 74 5.10.2 Flash Floods .......................................................................................................................... 74 5.11 Social Baseline .............................................................................................................................. 74 5.11.1 Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 74 5.11.1..1. Secondary Data ............................................................................................................. 74 5.11.1..2. Primary Data ................................................................................................................. 75 5.11.1..3. Sample .......................................................................................................................... 77 5.11.2 Study strengths and limitations ............................................................................................ 77 5.11.2.1. Study strengths ............................................................................................................. 77 5.11.2.2. Study limitations and challenges .................................................................................. 77 5.11.3 Socioeconomic Baseline ....................................................................................................... 78 5.11.3.1. Administrative jurisdiction ........................................................................................... 78 5.11.3.2. Populated area ............................................................................................................. 79 3 ESIA for the Damanhour Power Plant Environmental and Social Impacts of the Project 5.11.3.3. Demographic characteristics and human development profile ................................... 79 5.11.3.4. Poverty index ................................................................................................................ 83 5.11.3.5. Labor force and employment ....................................................................................... 84 5.11.4 Socio-economic Survey ......................................................................................................... 86 5.11.4.1. Family