Mott MacDonald, appointed by Pertamina Geothermal Energy, has completed three environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) for three separate geothermal power plant projects in Indonesia. The findings are now available on the World Bank Infoshop website, which is a retail bookstore and resource centre, offering access to information on World Bank projects and programs to the public.
The ESIAs were undertaken to satisfy various World Bank safeguard policies to facilitate potential future World Bank funding of the projects. The plants, which generate power extracted from heat stored in the earth, are being developed in response to the increasing demand for power in the region and will look to generate electricity from clean resources without depleting fossil fuel reserves.
The projects are a 220MW geothermal plant in Lumat Balai, a 40MW geothermal plant in Lahendong and a 110MW geothermal plant in Ulubelu. Following initial phases of development, the three sites are at various stages of drilling for production and re-injection wells. The next phase will include the development of an above ground steam system, power plant and electrical connection.
The scope of work for each ESIA included visiting the sites and a review of current reports and permits. It also involved the elaboration of a land acquisition policy framework, air and noise modelling, public consultation and disclosure. The company was required to undertake further baseline data collection where appropriate and prepare an environmental and social management plan, as well as a monitoring programme for each project.
David Boyland, Mott MacDonald’s project director said: “This win demonstrates how we were able to utilise our overall global resource to deliver the full range of required technical inputs to the three geothermal projects sited across the Indonesian archipelago. The coordination of this global resource spans different time zones and is a testament to Mott MacDonald’s project management capabilities.”
Mott MacDonald submitted their draft reports at the end of September 2010 with disclosure on the World Bank Infoshop available from October 2010.