The Amaila Hydropower Project is committed to protecting biodiversity. To ensure environmental safeguards are in place, a detailed Environmental Social Impact Study was conducted. Moreover, Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency approved the initial assessment and project design and Sithe Global is conducting further detailed surveys and planning.
Sithe Global’s portfolio includes energy projects that have been approved by influential multilateral lenders and other institutions known to have the stringent environmental, social and safety standards. The process of studying the potential impact on bio-diversity in the Amaila Falls area is extremely important, and is being studied thoroughly.
The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, which also looks at societal impacts, will provide a roadmap for initiatives in the following areas:
- Environmental and social control and mitigation measures for project construction and operation;
- Environmental and social monitoring program for both construction and operation;
- Worker health and safety plan, procedures and controls;
- Environmental contingency plan and procedures;
- Environmental, health and safety management system (including personnel, training, documentation, auditing, etc.);
- Supervision and evaluation actions to be implemented
- Public consultation and disclosure
What impact will this have on carbon emissions?
The Government of Guyana has committed itself to a Low Carbon Development Strategy and is in fact an internationally recognized leader in this area, having recently signed a US$250 million agreement with Norway to combat deforestation and control emissions. The Project advances this goal by taking advantage of a key natural resource in the country, its flowing rivers, to generate clean and reliable electricity. The Project will replace existing thermal power plants, which use fuel oil, reducing their carbon (greenhouse gas) and other air quality pollutant emissions.
The deforestation caused by the project will result in only about 8% of the greenhouse gas emissions that would have been emitted by the existing traditional oil fired power plants based on a 20 year period. The Project will lower the country's carbon foot print and provide the people of Guyana with a dependable energy source, while reducing the country's long term energy costs.