Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. Publishes Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report for Public Comment
Georgetown, Guyana
For Immediate Release to All Media Houses
March 22, 2011
Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. ("AFH") is pleased to release the updated Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report ("ESIA") on the proposed Amaila Hydropower Project (the "Project"). The ESIA can be found here on this site and should soon be available on the Guyana Environmental Protection Agency website at http://www.epaguyana.org. Printed copies will be available for review at:
Environmental Protection Agency - Ganges Street, Sophia, Georgetown
Amaila Falls Hydro, Inc. – 233 Lance Gibbs Street, Georgetown
Guyana National Library – Church Street, Georgetown
The ESIA Report provides stakeholders with:
- Detailed information on the Project's proposed development
- An extensive description of the baseline social and biophysical environment
- A comprehensive analysis of potential Project impacts, and
- A management plan containing mitigation/compensation measures to ensure compliance with Guyana and international safeguards
"The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is a key element of our project development process. We look forward to consulting with interested communities and our partners to take advantage of their valuable input," said Rafael Herz, Senior Vice-President at Sithe Global who oversees the Amaila Hydropower Project.
The ESIA presents the benefits of the Project to the people of Guyana, which include:
- Creating a dependable, renewable energy source for Guyana
- Reducing both long-term energy cost and exposure to oil price volatility
- Achieving major reduction in carbon emissions
- Lessening the reliance on imported oil to power fossil fuel energy sources
- Providing significant enhancements to transmission and communications infrastructure
"The Amaila Hydropower Project has the potential to play an important role in Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy by providing an alternative to fossil fuel use and which, if properly developed, will reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions," said David Singh, Executive Director, Conservation International Guyana. "In addition, Conservation International is committed to working closely with the project partners to advise on how environmental impacts can be minimized."
The Project site is situated in a remote location, about 200km southwest of Georgetown, at the confluence of the Amaila and Kuribrong rivers. It will consist of a new 165MW hydroelectric facility, access road and 270km high voltage transmission line to deliver electricity to Guyana Power and Light’s ("GPL") network for distribution. Expected to operate in excess of fifty years, the Project will be transferred to GPL at no cost, 20 years after construction.
Amaila Falls Hydro Inc., a company incorporated in Guyana, is a member of the Sithe Global group, a leading U.S-based international energy company. AFH is currently developing, and will finance, construct, and operate the Project. The ESIA was prepared by Exponent, Inc., an internationally recognized environmental and social consulting firm, with support from JGP Consultoria e Paricipacoes Ltda., an environmental consulting firm from Brazil with extensive experience in the Amazonian rainforest. The study was commissioned following approval granted by the Environmental Protection Agency of Guyana based on the previous Project Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") completed in 2002 and updated in 2008.
No communities will be displaced at the hydropower site. With the release of the ESIA, AFH will begin a second round of consultations to engage potentially affected communities in the region, including: conservation, development, and Amerindian NGOs; government officials; and the general public. These discussions are part of an ongoing process to ensure the natural resources of the country, as well as traditional land use and cultural resources, are protected.
The public is invited to comment on the Project ESIA by visiting the Project website www.amailahydropower.com, contacting us by phone at +592 695-3246, via email at info@amailahydropower.com, or by visiting our office at 233 Lance Gibbs Street, Georgetown.
For media enquiries please contact media@amailahydropower.com.
Rafael Herz, Senior Vice-President at Sithe Global who oversees the Amaila Hydropower Project, will be hosting a press conference for locally based media at 2:00 p.m. (GYT) today at the Pegasus Hotel, Seawall Road, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana.
About AFH:
AFH is a member of the Sithe Global Group, a leading U.S-based international energy company. The company incorporated in Guyana for the purpose of developing, owning and operating the Amaila Hydropower Project.
About Sithe Global Group:
Sithe Global is a privately held international independent power development company which focuses on certain target markets in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Sithe Global is led by a seasoned management and technical team with extensive independent power project development experience. The Sithe Global management team has successfully developed over 50 power projects in nine countries representing more than 15,000MW of generating capacity. Further information is available at www.sitheglobal.com.
Website for Exponent Inc: http://www.exponent.com
Website for JGP Consultoria e Paricipacoes Ltda: http://www.jgpconsultoria.com.br/