Part A - EIA 400 kV OHTL Stp - мепсо а.д.

Environmental Impact Assessment Study for 400 kV OHL SS Stip – Macedonian-Serbian BorderDue to careful planning of the route of the transmission line, the need for clearing vegetation,trees and forest covers is was reduced to a minimum.Geology and soilExpected impacts of the transmission line on the geological structures and soil in the phaseof construction would be in the form of degradation and soil erosion, and violation of certaingeological formations. The risk of erosion of soil is limited, mainly to localities where thetowers will be prepared, assembled, and installed. With the implementation of goodconstruction practice, the likely impacts will be controlled, and are not expected to causeserious adverse effects.Air qualityThe potential impacts from dust emissions on local air quality during the construction phasewill be reduced through the proposed measures.During its operation, the transmission line will have no harmful gas emissions into theambient air.Hydrology and water qualityThe potential impacts on the quality of surface water may occur as a result of erosion andsedimentation, and inadequate waste management. Measures have been proposed, toreduce potential impacts, and their implementation will allow a negligible impact effect onwater quality.During the construction of the transmission line, no impact on groundwater is expected,because the construction works include shallow pits.NoiseEmission of noise during the construction phase is imminent. Having in mind the distance ofmost of the individual locations of the towers from the settlements, and the fact that the issueof construction noise is short term and of discontinued nature, significant and irreversibleimpact on the environment and local population is not expected. Through adoption of goodconstruction practice, the noise levels will be within the emission limit values.During its operational phase, the transmission line will generate harmful noise emmisions inthe immediate surroundings and environment. In this phase, there is possible occurrence ofdisturbing noise due to the corona effect, i.e. electrical discharges around the conductorcables. The corona effect is a common phenomenon associated with all energy transmissionlines. The noise from the corona effect is directly depending on certain physical parametersof the environment, particularly the presence of forest belts, morphology of the terrain, etc.The corona effect in the transmissions lines has been explored in detail in the recentdecades. Consequently, the corona effect is known, and when designing the transmissionlines, measures for its minimization are implemented, particularly for high-voltagetransmission lines with voltage levels above 300 kV. Proper choice of conductor dimensionsfor the transmission line will reduce the localized electric blast on the air on the surface of theconductor, and will further reduce the surface gradient on the same level that would causevery small and negligible corona activity.150