Exploring Resettlement Impacts of Hydroelectric Projects

<p>Over the past five decades, there has been growing awareness of the potential negative effects of development-induced displacement and resettlement. For example, resettlement can threaten people’s livelihoods and well-being and sustainable development. In response to this phenomenon, many international financial organisations led by the World Bank have adopted safeguard policies, standards, and guidelines, especially around forced resettlement. These safeguard documents maintain that organisational and financial arrangements – through livelihood restoration programmes – can possibly alleviate displaced people’s impoverishment risks if those risks are correctly identified early. This thesis explores claims that such risks in development-caused involuntary population resettlement can be addressed by effective planning processes. Specifically, this thesis examines how resettlement and livelihood restoration programmes related to the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric project (NT2) in Lao PDR were able (or not) to address the livelihood sustainability of resettled communities. In conducting fieldwork in Lao PDR, this thesis employed a mixed methods approach using both qualitative and quantitative methods including semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and analysis of quantitative and qualitative secondary data. The key findings found in this study reflect NT2’s mixed performance of resettlement. On the one hand, the project provided enormous advantages to Lao PDR: a) the cooperation between Lao government and international stakeholders including resettled people in the preparation of resettlement strategies; b) introducing the Lao government and resettled people to a new global standard of resettlement practice. On the other hand, this project also caused a number of challenges: a) incomplete preparation of the resettlement strategies; b) unsuccessful implementation of livelihood restoration programmes; and c) the lack of precision in terminology – stipulated in the CA – to enable the effective establishment of measures, indicators and criteria which could be used to inform objective and fair decision making. These findings seem to hold NT2 back from successfully achieving the sustainable development for resettled people’s livelihoods and well-being. The findings of this study should be of interest to development academics and practitioners working in the fields of energy development and development-induced displacement and resettlement. Specifically, the lessons learned from resettlement and livelihood restoration programmes implemented by Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric project are crucial, because it is considered a role model for other hydropower projects in Lao PDR. It is hoped that the results of this study can make a contribution to the on-going improvement of the Lao government’s existing policies on resettlement and livelihood restoration strategies in order to fulfil sustainable development goals.</p>

Exploring Resettlement Impacts of Hydroelectric Projects

<p>Over the past five decades, there has been growing awareness of the potential negative effects of development-induced displacement and resettlement. For example, resettlement can threaten people’s livelihoods and well-being and sustainable development. In response to this phenomenon, many international financial organisations led by the World Bank have adopted safeguard policies, standards, and guidelines, especially around forced resettlement. These safeguard documents maintain that organisational and financial arrangements – through livelihood restoration programmes – can possibly alleviate displaced people’s impoverishment risks if those risks are correctly identified early. This thesis explores claims that such risks in development-caused involuntary population resettlement can be addressed by effective planning processes. Specifically, this thesis examines how resettlement and livelihood restoration programmes related to the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric project (NT2) in Lao PDR were able (or not) to address the livelihood sustainability of resettled communities. In conducting fieldwork in Lao PDR, this thesis employed a mixed methods approach using both qualitative and quantitative methods including semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and analysis of quantitative and qualitative secondary data. The key findings found in this study reflect NT2’s mixed performance of resettlement. On the one hand, the project provided enormous advantages to Lao PDR: a) the cooperation between Lao government and international stakeholders including resettled people in the preparation of resettlement strategies; b) introducing the Lao government and resettled people to a new global standard of resettlement practice. On the other hand, this project also caused a number of challenges: a) incomplete preparation of the resettlement strategies; b) unsuccessful implementation of livelihood restoration programmes; and c) the lack of precision in terminology – stipulated in the CA – to enable the effective establishment of measures, indicators and criteria which could be used to inform objective and fair decision making. These findings seem to hold NT2 back from successfully achieving the sustainable development for resettled people’s livelihoods and well-being. The findings of this study should be of interest to development academics and practitioners working in the fields of energy development and development-induced displacement and resettlement. Specifically, the lessons learned from resettlement and livelihood restoration programmes implemented by Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric project are crucial, because it is considered a role model for other hydropower projects in Lao PDR. It is hoped that the results of this study can make a contribution to the on-going improvement of the Lao government’s existing policies on resettlement and livelihood restoration strategies in order to fulfil sustainable development goals.</p>

Climate and energy justice along the Brahmaputra river in Northeast India

Recurrent summer floods along the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are a major challenge for the people and state governments of Northeast India. While riverine communities in the region rely upon a variety of adaptation strategies to live with these destructive floods, climate change is expected to further exacerbate this challenge, as melting Himalayan glaciers and changes in the South Asian monsoon lead to an increase in the frequency of severe floods. At the same time, a multitude of new dams are under construction in the Brahmaputra river basin, to meet India’s growing energy demands. Though these dams could provide flood protection for downstream communities, political and economic factors have led dam-builders to prioritize hydroelectricity generation over flood control. Furthermore, hydroelectricity generated along the Brahmaputra is “evacuated” to distant urban centers, while rural dwellers in Northeast India suffer from high levels of energy poverty. Using the Ranganadi Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh as a case study, this paper examines how, by changing the flood regime and undermining current adaptive strategies, large dams along the Brahmaputra are testing the capacity of downstream communities to live with summer floods. This work highlights the ways in which poor and vulnerable communities in Northeast India are forced to bear the costs of both climate change impacts and decarbonization efforts.

Hidroituango Intake Gate Closure - Emergency Conditions

This article presents the investigation, analysis, and results of the intake gate closure of two vertical fixed-wheel gates at the hydroelectric project Ituango in Colombia (2400 MW) under free- flow conditions. This atypical operation was considered successful notwithstanding adverse conditions, and therefore, it can be classified as a unique operation in the field of hydraulic gates. In this article, some relevant parameters, such as the hydraulic force of the servomotor during the operation of the gate, were measured before and after the operation and analyzed, and the results were presented. A new chart is proposed for the downpull coefficient based on the collected data, which could be implemented in the closure of gates against the free flow. Considering the abovementioned factors, the authors propose some recommendations and present drawn conclusions contributing to state of the art on design, manufacturing, and operation of this type of hydraulic gates and structures for large and small dams under adverse and extreme conditions.

Framing in a Multicultural Social Movement

This article analyses the sustainability movement that opposed the construction of the Las Cruces hydroelectric project in the San Pedro River watershed in Nayarit, Mexico. It focuses on the movement’s theoretical framework and general orientation in order to show how the various and distinct frameworks that emerged throughout the evolution of the movement were selected, adjusted and creatively reworked within the movement. This allowed these frameworks to adapt to changing local social, cultural, and environ- mental conditions through a process that also enriched them and imbued them with new meanings through contact with the perspectives of coastal agricultural and fishing communities, as well as with indigenous Naayeri communities in the mountains.

Sediment Budget and Sediment Trap efficiency of Baglihar Hydroelectric project Reservoir – a calibrated model for prediction of longevity of the Dam

The field investigation of the reservoir area of Baglihar Hydropower project shows that the sediment budget to the reservoir is controlled by fragile rock type like shales, sandstones, phyllites and slates, soil characteristics, steep hill slopes, rainfall and landslides. The rocks are highly weathered, fissile and micaceous in nature and very sensitive to water absorption. The analysed sediments are characterised by dominance of sands, silts and clays with lower values of plasticity (14.3PL), liquidity (23.5 LL), cohesion (118) and shear strength (202 Kpa). The slope wash deposits are highly susceptible to landslides and slope failures and directly contribute to the sediment budget in the reservoir. In addition tributaries of Chenab River also bring sediments in the reservoir from the catchment area. The empirical relationship for estimating the long-term reservoir trap efficiency for large storage based on correlation between the relative reservoir size and trap efficiency was simulated in 3D model which shows that the annual sediment trap efficiency of the Baglihar reservoir is of 0.39%. The extrapolation of the calculated values shows that the total sediment load shall increase by 11% in the next 30 years and 20% in the next 50 years and correspondingly 40% in the next 100 years that shall induce corresponding decrease in the reservoir volume over the time. By applying flushing schemes, life span of the reservoir can be extended. It is estimated that after 100 years the reservoir shall lose ~35.6% storage volume. On further extrapolation, the trap efficiency will decrease from 25.5% after 30 years to 23% after 100 years. The estimated trap efficiency of Baglihar reservoir is 60%, which is greater than that based on numerical results, showing a significant overestimation.

Impact of Construction Method and Ground Composition on Headrace Tunnel Stability in the Neelum–Jhelum Hydroelectric Project: A Case Study Review from Pakistan

During underground construction, the behavior of the ground is influenced by characteristics of the rock mass with situ stresses and ground water, cross section of the excavation area, excavation method, and the rate of excavation. These fundamental features are considered to ensure the support and stability of underground excavations and achieve long-term successful operation. However, the ground composition of the Himalayas hinders tunnel excavation, especially in case of mechanized tunneling; this causes time and cost overruns. This study has reviewed the recently completed Neelum–Jhelum Hydroelectric Project; the project complexities, geological environments involving significant overburden and tectonic stresses, and effects of the excavation method on tunnel stability were analyzed. The major challenges that were encountered during construction are discussed herein along with their countermeasures. An analysis of project-related data reveals that latest techniques and approaches considering rock mechanics were used to complete the project; the existing approaches and methods were accordingly verified and extended. Apart from ground composition, the excavation methods used play an important role in the occurrence of severe rock bursts. Thus, the findings of this study are expected to be helpful for future tunneling projects in the Himalayas.

Fluid Flow and Leakage Assessment Through an Unlined/Shotcrete Lined Pressure Tunnel: A Case from Nepal Himalaya

The use of unlined/shotcrete lined pressure tunnels and shafts are cost-effective solutions for a hydropower project and are being implemented worldwide. To implement this concept, the ground conditions at the area of concern should be favorable regarding minimum principal stress magnitude, which should be higher than hydrostatic water head acting on the tunnel periphery. In addition, the rock mass should be relatively unjointed or joints in the rock mass should be relatively tight. Among the most important issues in the design of unlined/shotcrete lined pressure tunnels is the extent of hydraulic jacking and water leakage out of the tunnel during operation. This manuscript first presents fluid flow and potential hydraulic jacking assessment of two selected locations of the headrace tunnel of Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project (UTHP) in Nepal using the UDEC. It is noted here that the 7960 m long headrace tunnel will experience a hydrostatic water head that will vary from 2.9 to 11.5 bars (0.29–1.15 MPa). The headrace tunnel is supported by sprayed concrete (shotcrete) in combination with systematic rock bolts in the tunnel walls and crown. The invert of the tunnel and few hundred meters downstream end (at surge shaft area) of the headrace tunnel is being concrete lined after the completion of all other works. The qualitative fluid flow assessment carried out using UDEC indicated considerable pressure built-up in the joint systems suggesting potential hydraulic jacking. This was especially the case at the downstream segment (downstream from chainage 7100 m) of the headrace tunnel. The manuscript further presents the quantitative results of water leakage estimation from the headrace tunnel carried out using Panthi (Panthi KK (2006) Analysis of engineering geological uncertainties related to tunnelling in Himalayan rock mass conditions. PhD Thesis, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway;Panthi, Note on estimating specific leakage using Panthi’s approach, NTNU, Trondheim, 2010;) approach. The leakage assessment carried out indicated an average specific leakage of about 2.5 l/min/m tunnel, which may result in over 210 l/s leakage from the headrace tunnel. The evaluation also indicated that the outer reach (860 m downstream segment) of the headrace tunnel after chainage 7100 m seems extremely vulnerable and over 80 l/s water leakage may occur only from this headrace tunnel segment during operation of the hydropower plant.