ASSESSING HOW SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT CAN BE ADDRESSED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE PROJECTS; WITH REFERENCE TO CEC KABOMPO HYDROPOWER PROJECT (MANAGEMENT PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)Â
ABSTRACT
Hydropower projects in the recent past have been a subject of scrutiny from the academic world regarding their ecological and social implications. There has been substantial research in relation to the implications mentioned, most of it focusing on identifying the major impacts but less on minimization measures.
Therefore this study considers addressing the social and ecological implications in hydropower power projects by effectively making use of the environmental and social impact assessments as planning and mitigation measures at the early stages of the project.
The research was strategically designed in a way that the implications were identified, assessed, avoided where necessary, minimized, compensated and included in designing as well as implementation. In order to achieve this, the study was conducted by critically evaluating literature as well as conducting a survey on specialists of hydropower construction projects.
The methodology applied in this research allowed the sponsoring organization, being new to the hydropower construction projects to have a clear insight and a technical knowhow on managing such projects to minimize social and ecological impacts.
The research revealed that with sound policies, monitoring, compliance and participatory decision making during social and environmental impact assessments processes would serve as effective mitigation and planning measures.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Hydropower has been known as a major source of electric energy much needed for industrial and economic growth especially in developing countries. However the construction of hydropower projects has been associated with ecological and social implications. This study will aim at assessing how ecological and social implications of such projects can be minimised by effectively utilising the social and environmental impact assessment as mitigation and planning measure.
The interest of Coppperbelt Energy Corporation Plc. (Client) in considering ecological and social factors as major stakeholders in project delivery necessitated the need to carry out this research, in order to understand how best ecological and social implications can be addressed in hydropower projects. Being the first time to project manage a hydropower construction project the client realised that minimising ecological and social implications of a project is part of good project management practice, this project will undoubtedly present a new approach in managing social and ecological impacts by addressing all relevant issues as well as unforeseen implications throughout the hydropower project life cycle.
