hydropower

Disbursing public money via private-sector controlled financial intermediaries (FIs) is a means to an end: reaching a larger set of smaller beneficiaries. It has its strong rationale, in particular when it comes to renewable energy projects that, in contrast to traditional energy projects, tend to be smaller in size and dispersed over larger areas. Nevertheless, these financial means must not contravene the ends that multilaterals such as the EBRD have in their mandate or the standards prescribed by their policies.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is in the process of assessing a loan for the 280 megawatt Nenskra hydropower plant in Georgia. In March supplementary environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) were released in order to bring the project in line with the standards of the prospective international financiers. Yet the new ESIA is ‘too little, too late’ for a project that is underlined by no strategic

Any hydropower project no matter the size can cause negative consequences to water basins, associated ecosystems, to climate and affected communities living along the water basins. A large number of individually acceptable projects can also lead to unacceptably high negative cumulative effects. This briefing outlines strategy and project level criteria to ensure hydropower projects are sustainable.

Based on the analysis of the project documentation, independent media reports, surveys and discussions with local civil society revealed that the Nenskra project represents the perfect example of a gender blind project, where the project sponsor fails to identify the negative social and gender impacts on the community, to protect women from disproportionately bearing the negative impacts and to ensure that women and men benefit equally from the project.

A majority of the local population protests against the construction of the Shuakhevi HPP for various reasons, including issues related to land and water “grabbing”, geological risks posed by construction works, employment
problems, etc.

The purpose of this study is to assess the project’s gender impacts on the affected population as well as to evaluate whether the project related documentation and construction process meets the requirements of international financial institutions.