Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the Mpatamanga Hydropower Project
- Client Name
- MHPL
- Location
- Malawi
Challenge
SLR supported Mpatamanga Hydropower Limited (MHPL) throughout the preparation of the ESIA, ESMMP and Resettlement Policy Framework for the Mpatamanga Hydropower Project. Mpatamanga is a transformational hydropower project for Malawi; by harnessing the power of the Shire River, the project will double the installed hydropower capacity in Malawi by providing 1.55 TWh/year of renewable and affordable energy.The Mpatamanga project will have a generation capacity of 358 MW, composed of two plants – the 301 MW peaking plant at the main dam and the 57 MW regulating downstream plant at the regulating dam. The powerhouses will be connected to the grid through two new transmission lines of 400kV and 132kV capacity. The project is aimed to contribute to reducing energy shortages and enhancing energy security in Malawi.
Solution
SLR mobilised more than 30 international specialists to undertake the baseline investigations, social surveys, fauna and flora inventory, modelling work, impact analysis and stakeholder engagement, in all disciplines: hydrology, ground water, water quality, aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, fisheries, charcoal, land tenure, gender, resettlement, community health, ecosystem services, air and noise, landscape, light pollution, waste. The project’s ESIA process was conducted in compliance with the World Bank and Malawi environmental and social requirements.
Impact
The work was delivered on time and on budget and disclosed publicly in August 2024, less than 10 months after the public scoping meetings. SLR experts actively collaborated with the other teams mobilised by MHPL in charge of the Basic Design, the Biodiversity Action Plan and the Cumulative Impact Assessment.
