Ahead of Board Approval for the sovereign loan to build and commission a 220km double-circuit 220kV transmission line between Sainshand and Choir, a comprehensive ESIA was required. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) commissioned WS Atkins International with Sustainability as sub-consultant in 2020 to undertake the ESIA and prepare the ESIA Disclosure Package to EBRD requirements.
Sustainability provided local and international environmental and social specialists, along with local team project management and coordination, and liaison with both local Client and local EBRD office. Sustainability was supported by IRIM to conduct the socio-economic surveys and stakeholder engagement, and Eco Trade to undertake environmental surveys in conjunction with the requirements for the national DEIA.
To assess potential impacts from collision or electrocution, comprehensive bird surveys were undertaken during spring and autumn migration periods. Based on the design proposed, electrocution risk is considered to be negligible. Several mitigation measures were proposed to reduce the risk of bird collision, including bird flight diverters and routine monitoring undertaken by qualified bird specialists.
Our team of experts also provided detailed input to the ESIA and related documents such as ESAP, SEP and LARF, and translation and updating of both English and Mongolian versions when the proposed route was updated in 2021. The fieldwork and stakeholder engagement was very successful considering the restrictions and uncertainties of Covid in 2020.
To learn more about what the EBRD loan will support read here:
https://www.ebrd.com/news/2022/ebrd-and-eu-support-first-transmission-project-in-mongolia.html