Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant Environmental Impact ... - IFC

• Inadequate electricity supply;
• Limited piped water;
• Poor toilet sanitation and solid waste disposal;
• Poor health facilities; and
• Inadequate road systems.
The Power Plant will provide 450 MW of electricity to the national grid at the
Benin North Substation via a 300 KV transmission line. This will increase the
total electricity available on the national grid by 450 MW (a figure
representing more than 10 percent of the country’s total on-grid generating
capacity as at 2011).
The Project will make use of public roads for Project-related transport and the
frequency of vehicle movements will be significantly lower than that
experienced during the construction phase.
The level of Project accommodation to be provided on site is not yet known;
however, it can be assumed that any infrastructure requirements for these
accommodations would be developed by the Project, and would not impact
on existing community facilities. However, an increase in community
population through an influx of opportunistic job seekers could increase the
pressure on already limited infrastructure services.
Impacts to infrastructure associated with the Project are focussed around the
following key areas:
• Influx of opportunistic job seekers, increasing pressure on local
infrastructure services;
• Contamination of water resources used by local communities;
• Project use of local roads could further reduce their capacity; and
• Increased power supply for the national power grid.
Impact Significance
The extent of impacts on infrastructure will be felt locally, with the exception
of increased electricity generation, which is a cumulative impact that will be
felt at a national level. The duration of the impact will be long term, during the
period of the Project. Viewed from a wider perspective, the probability of
benefits to the electrical power supply is highly likely, while the probability of
negative impacts from increased pressure on local infrastructure and pollution
of water sources is less certain. The overall magnitude of the impact on
infrastructure during operation is therefore considered to be moderate and
positive.
The restricted capacity of infrastructure services within the communities
naturally limits the extent to which negative pressure may be added, by
forcing the Project and any new inhabitants to either supply their own
infrastructure or live without. However, the sensitivity of local communities
to contamination of water sources would be high as this would have a serious
AZURA EDO IPP
7-71
DRAFT EIA REPORT