ADB_book_18 April.qxp - Himalayan Document Centre - icimod

Figure 6.1: Power Development Map of Nepal: Major Power Stations, Transmission lines, and SubstationsSource: NEA (2005)and marginal people are the worst affected. Most ofthe project beneficiaries live far from the project sitewhile the people living around the project areadversely affected.Physiographic risks. There is a high risk ofdamage to civil structures and plants by landslides asa result of the fragile physical setting of theHimalayan range and monsoon floods. Glacial lakeoutburst floods (GLOF) also pose a threat. These maynot only damage the project but can also sweepaway settlements, and destroy land and propertydownstream. The risk of reservoir siltation is alsovery high in the mountainous terrain of Nepal.Impact on migratory fish. Hydropower damscan act as barriers to migration of fish, and projectscan act as barriers to the movement of land animalsor adversely affect their habitat.It is now accepted that hydropower developmentneeds to consider environmental and socialconsequences, and environmental assessment isnow generally required to ensure this. Mitigation andcompensation measures are part of the environmentalassessment; measures such as compensationfor loss of property, ensuring minimumdownstream flow all the time, supporting thedevelopment of areas surrounding the project, andsocial upliftment programs in affected communitiesmay be necessary. People should not be worse offdue to a hydropower project, and project benefitsshould also go to those affected, adequatelycompensating the losses they incur.Alternative EnergyAlternative energy such as from micro-hydro, biogasplants, or solar sources—as well as use of moreefficient and environmentally sound technologies forbiomass energy—has a number of environmentaladvantages over other energy sources available inNepal.Micro-hydro is a clean local source of energysuitable for hilly rural areas in Nepal. For ruralcommunities, it can be an alternative to traditionalbiomass fuels and has a significant potential towardsreducing the demand for traditional fuels (firewood)as well as imported fuel (kerosene).Biogas is suitable for cooking and hence cansubstitute for firewood in rural areas, and reducepressure on the forest. The Biogas Support Programestimates that 119,693 operating biogas plants save239,386 tons of fuelwood, 3.83 million liters ofkerosene, and 203,478 tons of bio-compost fertilizerin a year (BSP 2005). These savings would result in apositive carbon dioxide balance as well as carbonabsorption. Use of biogas plants improves sanitaryand hygienic conditions at the household level. Theslurry produced by the biogas plants is rich innutrients and can be used as manure. As biogasreplaces firewood and kerosene, this helps improveChapter 6: Energy Resources75