2023-12-06

Funding Agency: World Bank
Client: Nepal Investment Board
Date: Feb 2013 – Jan 2014

The Nepal Investment Board (NIB) plans to find investment ready projects, and it has authority in all the sectors including hydropower for projects above 500 MW. In connection with this, IB was reviewing and facilitating four hydropower projects – 650 MW Tamakoshi, 900 MW Upper Karnali, 600 MW Upper Marshyangdi and 900 MW Arun. The developers of these projects had submitted documents to the Government. NIB was being assisted by UK DFID’s Center for Inclusive Growth.

The objective of the Consultant’s assignment was to carefully review the work done by others on the four projects and to (i) assess and advise on the readiness of the four projects to proceed with finalization of legal and financing documents leading to project implementation; and (ii) assess and advise on gaps in the current state of project preparation and the work needed, as “necessary” and “desirable”, to bring each project to the readiness as described above, with clear explanations of the basis of these recommendations and associated approximate cost and schedule implications.

 

Actual Service Provided by the firm within the assignment:

TMS was primarily responsible for Social Safeguards issues pertaining to the mentioned scope of work. This included assessing the approach and coverage of planning adopted by the developers on social aspects in close coordination with the International Social Advisor. This includeded whether the approach is appropriate and adequate at the current stage of preparation in line with involuntary resettlement and indigenous people.

The activities performed includes (but not limited to):

• Social Surveys & Investigation
• Review of Feasibility Study from Social Aspects
• Initial review of social and environmental impacts
• Preparation of inventory of deficient data / information
• Establish assessment criteria
• Interviews with host communities
• Review of social impacts, mitigation measures and costs
• Preparation of Interim Progress Report
• Discussion of draft Final Report