DUSHANBE, June 18, 2014, Asia-Plus – The fifth information-sharing and consultation meetings with riparian countries on the Assessment Studies of the proposed Roghun Hydropower Project (HPP) in Tajikistan are planned for the week of July 14, 2014.
Press release issued by the World Bank notes that the purpose of the meetings is to discuss the final draft set of summaries and reports on the Assessment Studies with interested parties from riparian countries including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The World Bank is committed to ensuring good practice in information-sharing and encourages all riparian stakeholders to participate in the upcoming six-week comment period (June 17 – July 29) and riparian consultation meetings during the week of July 14. The exact dates of these meetings will be announced shortly. The session for civil society representatives from all riparian countries will be chaired from Almaty, Kazakhstan and held through video or audio conference with World Bank Country Offices in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
These upcoming fifth regional riparian meetings will discuss the draft Techno-Economic Assessment Study (TEAS) Phase 2 Summary report and the draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report, which are financed by the International Development Association (IDA).
These concluding products of the Assessment Studies, which were prepared by the international consultants Coyne & Bellier and Poyry, cover the following topics: dam safety (design criteria, geology, floods, seismicity, dam stability); water management and reservoir operations (hydrology, cascade operation, operating flow regime); economic and financial analyses; implementation and risks (construction materials, cost estimates, implementation schedule, risk analysis); environmental and social impacts (environmental, resettlement, socio-economic); impact on riparian countries; analysis of alternatives (alternatives to Roghun, dam alternatives); and recommendations (environmental management plan, further studies).
These two reports are the final draft products of the Assessment Studies and the fifth consultation and comment period marks the end of the formal riparian consultation process. The Assessment Studies for the proposed Roghun HPP will be finalized after comments from riparian counterparts, civil society stakeholders, and local project affected people are received and carefully considered.
At the request of the Central Asian governments, the World Bank is working to ensure that the two ongoing Assessment Studies — the Techno-Economic Assessment Study (TEAS) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) — are objective, meet international technical standards, and are informed by a consultative process among riparian governments and civil society groups. To this end, the World Bank has sought input and review by riparian countries at key points during the study process. Four information-sharing sessions have been held (May 2011, November 2012, February 2013, October 2013) to share emerging analysis from the interim assessment studies and solicit feedback. The final set of consultations and information sharing will take place from June 17 – July 29, 2014.
