aes oasis limited and mitsui & co - world bankdocuments.worldbank.org/curated/en/...7.1.9...

AES OASIS LIMITED AND MITSUI & CO AMMAN EAST IPP PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT DECEMBER 2006

PB POWER in association with Arab Centre for Engineering Studies

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Document No. 62671/PBP/000008 Rev D 0946R000.DOC/S1/2/W

AES OASIS LIMITED AND MITSUI & CO AMMAN EAST IPP PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT DECEMBER 2006

PB POWER in association with Arab Centre for Engineering Studies

PB Power List of Revisions Page 1 of 1


LIST OF REVISIONS

Current Rev. Date Page

affected Prepared

by Checked by (technical)

Checked by (quality

assurance) Approved

by

Rev D Dec 2006 All

RW WEARMOUTH

EC ADAMS

M MITCHELL

EC ADAMS

Orig Aug 2006 All

REVISION DETAILS

First issue as 62671/PBP/000008 Rev C

Rev A Sept 2006 All

First issue as 62671/PBP/000008 Rev C Rev A Clients comments incorporated

Rev B Oct 2006 All

First issue as 62671/PBP/000008 Rev C Rev B Banks comments incorporated

Rev C Nov 2006 All

First issue as 62671/PBP/000008 Rev C Rev C Additional Banks comments incorporated

Rev D Dec 2006 All

First issue as 62671/PBP/000008 Rev C Rev D Additional Banks comments incorporated

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CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

1. NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY 1.1

2. INTRODUCTION 2.1

2.1 The project 2.1 2.2 The developer 2.3 2.3 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment 2.3

2.3.1 Scoping exercise 2.4 2.3.2 The ESIA 2.5 2.3.3 Environmental Statement 2.6

3. POLICY AND LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 3.1

3.1.1 Energy sector administrative framework 3.3 3.1.2 Institutional framework and mandate 3.4

3.2 Compliance with Jordanian and World Bank/IFC guidance and policies 3.6 3.2.1 Key issues from consideration of World Bank Guidance 3.8

3.3 Environmental Reporting 3.10 3.4 Conclusion 3.10

4. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 4.1

4.1 Identification of the need for additional power generation in Jordan 4.1 4.2 Selection of the Amman East site 4.1 4.3 The Site 4.1 4.4 Choice of plant 4.2

4.4.1 Choice of CCGT 4.4 4.4.2 Choice of cooling system 4.4

4.5 Pipeline routing and alternatives 4.5 4.6 Transmission line routing and alternatives 4.5

5. PROJECT AND SITE DESCRIPTION 5.1

5.1 The proposed plant 5.1 5.1.1 Fuel 5.7 5.1.2 Plant layout 5.10 5.1.3 Storage 5.11

5.2 Safety and emergency plans 5.12 5.3 The gas pipeline 5.13 5.4 The water pipeline 5.14 5.5 The overhead transmission line and substation 5.15 5.6 Construction of the plant 5.15

5.6.1 Site preparation 5.16

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5.7 Decommissioning 5.17

6. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE 6.1

6.1 Air Quality 6.1 6.1.1 Ambient air quality 6.2

6.2 Water quality 6.6 6.2.1 Site geology 6.8 6.2.2 Groundwater aquifers systems 6.9 6.2.3 Project area aquifer systems 6.13 6.2.4 Groundwater resources in the project area 6.14 6.2.5 Groundwater quality of the upper cretaceous aquifer system 6.16 6.2.6 Surface water resources at the project area 6.16 6.2.7 Relevant legislation 6.17 6.2.8 Water users in the project area 6.18

6.3 Geology 6.18 6.3.1 Soils 6.19

6.4 Noise 6.19 6.4.1 Noise sensitive receptors (NSRs) 6.19 6.4.2 Baseline conditions 6.20 6.4.3 Noise assessment methodology 6.20 6.4.4 Manual measurements 6.20 6.4.5 Results of survey 6.21

6.5 Landscape 6.21 6.6 Transport infrastructure 6.22

6.6.1 Road Transport 6.22 6.6.2 Communication 6.24

6.7 Socio economics 6.24 6.7.1 Demographic 6.24 6.7.2 Employment 6.27 6.7.3 Education 6.28 6.7.4 Housing 6.30 6.7.5 Health services 6.31 6.7.6 Land use 6.32 6.7.7 Electricity production 6.35

6.8 Ecology 6.35 6.8.1 Assessment methodology 6.36 6.8.2 Legislation 6.37 6.8.3 Existing environment 6.39

6.9 Cultural heritage 6.48 6.9.1 Legal framework 6.49

7. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 7.1

7.1 Air quality 7.1 7.1.1 Air quality during construction 7.1

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7.1.2 Impact of the gas and water pipeline 7.2 7.1.3 Air quality during operation 7.2 7.1.4 Control of oxides of nitrogen during combustion 7.3 7.1.5 Conversion of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide 7.5 7.1.6 Stack height 7.7 7.1.7 Atmospheric dispersion modelling 7.9 7.1.8 Cumulative impact to air quality 7.26 7.1.9 Analysis of results 7.31 7.1.10 Mitigation measures and monitoring programmes 7.34 7.1.11 Construction 7.34 7.1.12 Operation 7.35 7.1.13 Conclusion 7.36

7.2 Water quality 7.36 7.2.1 Impacts on water quality during construction 7.36 7.2.2 Impacts on water quality during operation 7.37 7.2.3 Waste water discharge 7.38 7.2.4 Boiler water 7.39 7.2.5 The water treatment plant 7.39 7.2.6 Site drainage 7.40 7.2.7 Miscellaneous discharges 7.41 7.2.8 Water resources contamination 7.42 7.2.9 Flood risk 7.42 7.2.10 Impact on other water users 7.43 7.2.11 Impact of gas and water pipeline 7.43 7.2.12 Mitigating measures and monitoring programmes 7.43 7.2.13 Conclusion 7.45

7.3 Geology, soils and wastes 7.46 7.3.1 Construction impacts 7.46 7.3.2 Impact of gas and water pipeline 7.47 7.3.3 Operation 7.47 7.3.4 Decommissioning 7.48 7.3.5 Conclusion 7.49

7.4 Noise and vibration 7.50 7.4.1 Overall approach 7.50 7.4.2 Legislative framework 7.50 7.4.3 Construction noise 7.51 7.4.4 Construction vibration 7.53 7.4.5 Predicted impacts during operation 7.54 7.4.6 Noise and vibration control measures 7.56 7.4.7 Conclusion 7.57

7.5 Visual impact 7.58 7.5.1 Visual impact during construction 7.58 7.5.2 Visual impact during operation 7.58

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7.5.3 Assessment of visual impact 7.59 7.5.4 Mitigation measures and monitoring programmes 7.60 7.5.5 Conclusion 7.61

7.6 Traffic and infrastructure 7.61 7.6.1 Impacts on traffic and infrastructure during construction 7.61 7.6.2 Impacts on traffic and infrastructure during operation 7.62 7.6.3 Impacts on traffic and infrastructure during decommissioning 7.63 7.6.4 Cumulative impacts 7.63 7.6.5 Mitigation measures and monitoring programmes 7.63

7.7 Socioeconomics 7.64 7.7.1 Socioeconomic impacts during construction 7.65 7.7.2 Socioeconomic impacts during operation 7.66 7.7.3 Socioeconomic impacts during decommissioning 7.68 7.7.4 Mitigation measures and monitoring programmes 7.68 7.7.5 Public consultation 7.69 7.7.6 Additional public consultation 7.69 7.7.7 Conclusion 7.73

7.8 Ecology and biodiversity 7.73 7.8.1 Impacts during construction 7.73 7.8.2 Impacts during operation 7.74 7.8.3 Impacts during decommissioning 7.74 7.8.4 Mitigation measures and monitoring programmes 7.75 7.8.5 Construction 7.75 7.8.6 Operation 7.75 7.8.7 Decommissioning 7.76 7.8.8 Conclusion 7.76

7.9 Archaeology 7.76 7.9.1 Surface archaeology 7.76 7.9.2 Subsurface archaeology 7.76 7.9.3 Mitigation and monitoring 7.77 7.9.4 Conclusion 7.77

7.10 Health and safety 7.78 7.10.1 Hazard assessment 7.79 7.10.2 Health and safety 7.79 7.10.3 Occupational health and safety management system 7.80 7.10.4 Factors in the workplace 7.80 7.10.5 Community health, safety and security 7.82 7.10.6 Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 7.82 7.10.7 Conclusion 7.83

7.11 Cumulative impact 7.83 7.11.1 Introduction 7.83 7.11.2 Associated infrastructure and their impacts 7.83 7.11.3 Cumulative impact with other existing and proposed projects 7.92 7.11.4 Conclusion 7.92

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8. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND MITIGATION PROGRAMME 8.1

9. INTERAGENCY, PUBLIC AND NGO CONSULTATION 9.1

9.1 Scoping exercise 9.1 9.2 Additional public consultation 9.2

9.2.1 Consultation methodology 9.2 9.2.2 Survey findings 9.3 9.2.3 Residents opinion 9.5 9.2.4 Conclusion and recommendation: 9.5

9.3 Compliance with Jordanian and World Bank/IFC guidance and policies 9.5 9.4 Conclusions 9.8

____________________________

A. JORDANIAN TIMES ADVERT Appendix A

B. LIST OF THE PARTICIPANTS AT SCOPING SESSION Appendix B

C. ISSUES IDENTIFIED AT SCOPING SESSION Appendix C

D. STACK HEIGHT CALCULATION Appendix D

E. GLOSSARY OF ACOUSTICS TERMINOLOGY Appendix E

F. NOISE MONITORING FORMS Appendix F

G. CALIBRATION CERTIFICATES Appendix G

H. CALCULATION AND OUTPUT OF NOISE MODEL Appendix H

I. PHOTOS FROM PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS Appendix I

J. INFORMATION LEAFLETS AND QUESTIONNAIRES Appendix J

K. SUMMARY OF WATER PIPELINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Appendix K

L. SUMMARY OF GAS PIPELINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Appendix L

M. NEPCO TRANSMISSION LINE ESIA Appendix M

____________________________

PB Power List of Abbreviations Page 1 of 1


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ACC air cooled condenser ACES Arab Centre for Engineering Studies ADMS Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling System AERMOD American Meteorology Society/Environmental Protection Agency

Meteorology Processor ASTM American Society for Testing Materials bar barometric pressure BAT best available techniques BRef BAT reference BS British Standard BTU British thermal unit CCGT combined cycle gas turbine CD ROM compact disk read only memory Co Company CO2 carbon dioxide DCS Distributed Control System DLN Dry low NOx DFO distillate fuel oil ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment EMMP Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan EU European Union ES Environmental Statement FGC Fajer Gas Company FGD flue gas desulphurization g grams GW Gigawatt HCl hydrochloric acid HRSG heat recovery steam generator IEMA Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment IFC International Finance Corporation IOA Institute of Acoustics ISO International Organization for Standardization JBIC Japan Bank of International Cooperation J/g joules per gram K degrees Kelvin kg kilograms km kilometre kV kilovolt LCV lower calorific value LNG liquefied natural gas M metre m3, metres cubed mg/l milligrams per litre mg/Nm3 milligrams per normal cubic metre MoE Ministry of Environment mol mole MW Megawatt MWth megawatt thermal NaOH caustic soda NEPCO Jordan National Electric Company NSR noise sensitive receptor NOx oxides of nitrogen OPIC Overseas Private Investment Corporation PBP PB Power ppm parts per million SO2 sulphur dioxide

PB Power List of Abbreviations Page 2


ToR Terms of Reference TSP Total suspended particulates TSS Total Suspended Solids t/yr. tonnes per year UK United Kingdom wt weight WAJ Water Authority of Jordan

PB Power Section 1 Page 1.1 of 1.1

Document No. 62671/PBP/000008 Rev D 0946r000.doc/S5/1/W

1. NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY

AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co propose to construct the East Amman IPP combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant near the village of Al-Manakher, about 14 km to the east of Amman on a site to be leased from the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Survey. The plant will involve the construction of a CCGT power plant with a nominal output of 370 MW at specified site rated conditions.

The proposed plant will normally burn natural gas, though distillate fuel oil (DFO) will be burnt at times of interruption to the gas supply.

The electricity generated by the Project will be exported to the Jordanian national grid network via a 400 kV substation that will be constructed, owned, and operated by the Jordan National Electric Company ‘NEPCO’ and located adjacent to the Project Site.

The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) will supply drinking quality water as raw water for all the Facility’s needs through an 18 km pipeline.

The plant will operate within all relevant Jordanian national environmental limits as well as complying with the guideline emissions limits of the World Bank and guidelines of Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) the Project Lenders.

The developer

The developer is AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co is a joint venture company and independent power producer (IPP) wholly owned by the AES Electric and Mitsui & Co groups.

The site

The Amman East site is located near the village of Al-Manakher, about 14 km to the east of Amman on a site to be leased from the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Survey. The plant will involve the construction of a CCGT power plant with a nominal output of 370 MW at specified site rated conditions. The site location is shown on Figure 1.1.

The site comprises some 170 000 m3 of land which is currently unused at an elevation of some 840 m AOD (above ordinance datum).

There are no other industrial plants in the immediate vicinity of the Amman East site with the majority of the surrounding land either farmed (for cereal crops) or unused. There are a number of scattered houses in the area.

The main Zarqa to Sahab road runs immediately to the north of the site and is considered to be of a high standard for the area. It is understood that the new Amman ring road may eventually run north-south about 500 m or so from the project site though construction of this road close to the site has not yet commenced.

PB Power Section 1 Page 1.3


The topography of the area is undulating with many small hills and valleys. The project site is fairly elevated in relation to the surrounding area but is afforded some screening by small hills to the south and east. A small wadi runs along the side of the Zarqa to Sahab road towards the west.

The geology of the site is typical of that in the surrounding area consisting of sedimentary rocks and relatively fertile soils. There is no sign of any ground contamination at the site, which is not known to have been used in the past for any purpose that would likely have lead to contamination of the soils on site.

The ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan runs north-south about 800 m to the west of the site. Whilst the nearest existing 400 kV transmission lines are located a few kilometres to the west.

The proposed site is not located in or near to any ecologically designated area with the on site ecology being typical of the area. There are no notable species (of fauna or flora) located within the site boundary.

There are some protected archaeological sites in the area but these are located outside a 5 km radius of the proposed power station site.

The proposed development

The plant will consist of two gas turbines, primarily fuelled by gas, complete with associated heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a single steam turbine. The thermal input of the proposed plant will be approximately 790 MWth. Approximately 63 per cent of the 370 MWe power generated at the station will be produced by the gas turbines with the steam turbine providing the remaining 37 per cent. The development of the project will be such that the plant may operate in open cycle mode to provide electricity to NEPCO whilst the HRSGs and steam turbine is being installed.

The plant’s gas turbines will burn fuel in a combustion chamber from where the hot combustion gases expand through the gas turbine, which in turn drives an electrical generator to generate electricity. The hot exhaust gases still contain recoverable energy and will therefore be used in a HRSG to generate steam. The high-pressure steam produced will be used to drive steam turbine to generate additional electricity.

The spent steam leaving the steam turbine plant will pass to a condenser where it will be condensed. The resultant condensate will be returned to the HRSGs for reuse. The condenser will be cooled by an air cooled system helping to reduce the plants water consumption. The air cooled condensers will act in a similar manner to a car radiator. The use of air cooled condensers means that there is no need for cooling towers or a once-through cooling water system, thereby eliminating the environmental impacts associated with such systems, which include a visible plume from a cooling tower and abstraction from, or discharge to, a local water course.

The plant will, during normal operation fire on natural gas that will be supplied via a dedicated gas pipeline that will tee in to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan. The gas pipeline will be installed owned and operated by Fajer Gas Company (FGC) who will be responsible for installation of the pipeline from the main gas pipeline to the site boundary



approximately 800 m to the west. FGC will sell gas to NEPCO who will be the supplier of natural gas to the proposed CCGT.

During times of interruption to the natural gas supply the plant will operate on distillate fuel oil (DFO) which will be stored on site in 2 x 13 500 m3 storage tanks of suitable size to allow for fourteen days operation. This fuel will be brought to site by road tanker. Annual consumption of DFO is not likely to exceed 21 000 t/yr though this will depend on the number of day interruptions to the natural gas supply to the site.

The electricity generated by the Project will be exported to the Jordanian national grid network via a 400 kV substation that will be constructed, owned, and operated by NEPCO and located adjacent to the Project Site.

It is expected that for the majority of its life the Amman East CCGT will operate continuously throughout the year, except for essential maintenance and statutory inspections. The plant will be capable of two shifting in the event that the plant is required to operate in this fashion. It will be designed and constructed with an high average annual availability ie above 90 per cent. The plant will also be capable of operation in open cycle mode as necessary.

The emissions of oxides of nitrogen from the gas turbines will be controlled by the use of dry low NOx (DLN) burners. There will also be emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) during DFO firing. The level of SO2 emitted is dependent on the sulphur in the fuel. The flue gases from each CCGT module will be discharged to a single 45 m stack. Flue gases emitted during open cycle operation will be emitted through a bypass stack, which will also measure 45 m.

The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) will supply drinking quality water as raw water for all the Facility’s needs through an 18 km pipeline. This water will require treatment via a water treatment plant prior to use.

Construction of the new plant is expected to commence in February 2007. The construction workforce will likely peak at about 1,000 with an average of between 600-700. The target date for simple (open) cycle operation is June 2008 and full combined cycle operation is June 2009. Operational staff for the new plant will be of the order of 40-50 permanent personnel.

The construction contractor will be required to prepare and implement a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). This Plan will identify the mitigating measures and management procedures that will be put in place to adequately control the environmental impacts of the construction stage, incorporating the relevant sections in this Environmental Statement (ES) and the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) prepared for the project.

Public consultation

Following completion of the ESIA AES and Mitsui & Co have undertaken additional public consultation to allow members of the general public to become better in formed on the projects.



Key objectives of the public consultation process were:

• To disclose the ESIA to people of Al Manakhar village and convey the findings of ESIA in an appropriate manner.

• To comply with World Bank requirements.

• To study and consider the public opinion on the ESIA and any further concerns.

• Build strong relationship with the surrounding people, and improve Community relationship.

The public consultation process allowed for the discussion of the project directly between members of the ESIA project team and members of the local community (principally residents of the village of Al-Manakher).

The consultation process ran from the 10th October 2006 to the 20th October 2006 in Al-Manakher village. The village was selected as the most appropriate location for the consultation as it represents the nearest community to the project site and as a result the residents of the village will be most affected by the construction and operation of the project. Al-Manakher village is a small village with population around 2000 person depends mainly on governmental jobs and agricultural activities for their livelihoods.

During the consultation process the interested members of the community were provided with a project information leaflet and questionnaire to allow them to express their views on the project.

The principle concern of residents were those relating to air, and noise emissions and any potential for waste chemicals to be generated. It is considered that the measures outlined in the EMMP should be sufficient to mitigate the impacts identified.

Air quality

Dust may be generated during several activities associated with the construction works, for example excavation work. It is very unlikely during most weather conditions, using the proposed dust mitigation measures, that dust generated at the site will cause nuisance at houses in the area.

Air pollution levels in the area are generally low though the monitoring programme for the project identified two minor exceedences of the Jordanian hourly NO2 as well as five minor exceedences of the daily PM10 limits.

The proposed plant will operate for the majority of its operational lifetime on natural gas supplied from the national gas transmission system. Natural gas is an inherently clean burning fuel that does not give rise to significant quantities of sulphur dioxide (SO2) or particulate matter during combustion.

At times, when natural gas is unavailable, the plant will operate on distillate fuel oil (DFO). Combustion of DFO gives rise to atmospheric emissions of SO2 and very low levels of particulate matter, in addition to atmospheric emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). As currently designed, the proposed plant will store sufficient quantities of DFO to allow for 14 days operation in the event of an



interruption to the natural gas supply. It is not proposed that the plant is designed to allow for water injection as the turbines selected will be able to meet the relevant Jordanian and World Bank emissions limits for NOx using low NOx burners.

The main gaseous pollutant emitted from the proposed CCGT plant will therefore be NOx of which 95 per cent is nitric oxide (NO) and 5 per cent nitrogen dioxide (NO2). NO oxidizes to NO2 in the presence of ozone. The CCGT plant will therefore contribute to background concentrations of NO2. To assess this contribution, a dispersion modelling exercise has been carried out. Detailed information is provided in this section on CCGT plant emissions (and their control), the analysis of NO oxidation rates and the dispersion modelling. The emissions of SO2 during DFO firing have also been assessed using dispersion modelling.

A dispersion modelling exercise has been undertaken to predict the impacts of the proposed plants operation quantifying the contributions the proposed CCGT plant will make to the existing background concentrations of NO2 and SO2 in order to determine the overall effect on a number of receptors in the area. The assessment of the impact on air quality due to emissions from the proposed CCGT plant is based on the predicted changes of the ground level concentrations of pollutants in accordance with the relevant Jordanian and World Bank limits, which have set standards and objectives for these ambient concentrations.

A conservative view of the operation of both plant has been adopted in the modelling so that a “worst case” is presented under specific scenarios. The model assumes base load operation both CCGT plant thereby assuming that the maximum emissions from the overall site coincide with the meteorological conditions leading to the highest impact. In reality the operation of the plant with maximum output may not coincide with worst case meteorological conditions as the operation of the new plant on distillate fuel oil is limited.

Consideration has also been given to significance of any cumulative impact between the proposed Amman East plant and the CCGT plant recently constructed at Samra.

The result of using this conservative approach is to ensure that the maximum predicted impact within the potential operating regime of the proposed plant is considered. This ensures that there is a “factor of safety” built into all of the air quality assessment, giving a high degree of confidence that the actual impacts will be less than those presented in this assessment. The results of the modelling have been compared to relevant air quality limits and standards.

The results of the modelling have been compared to appropriate objectives. Key findings from the analysis are:

• The maximum predicted annual average NO2 concentration for firing on natural gas is 0.8 µg/m3 at a point 1.1 km to the south east of the proposed site to the east of the village of Al-Manakher. This figure represents just 0.8 per cent of the Jordanian limit and World Bank standards. This assumes the plant operates for 14 days per year on DFO.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly NO2 concentration during gas firing is 55.9 µg/m3, which represents 13.9 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs



3 km to the south east of the site. During oil firing the maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly average is 51.6 µg/m3 which represents 12.8 per cent of the Jordanian limit.

• The highest 24 hour NO2 concentration during gas firing is 5.8 µg/m3, which represents 3.9 per cent of the World Bank limit and occurs just under 1 km to the north east of the site. During oil firing the maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly average is 5.4 µg/m3 which represents 3.6 per cent of the World Bank limit.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly SO2 concentration during DFO firing is 743.9 µg/m3, which represents 95 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 3 km to the south east of the site. Due to the limited nature of DFO firing it is not appropriate to predict the impact for daily averages for comparison with World Bank standard.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest 24-hour particulate concentration during oil firing is 17.7 µg/m3, which represents 15.5 per cent of the Jordanian limit. The maximum occurs at a point 568 m to the east of the proposed plant. The maximum 24 hourly particulate concentration during oil firing represents 25.3 per cent of the World Bank limit of 70 µg/m3.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly CO concentration during DFO firing is 117.8 µg/m3, which represents 0.4 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 3 km to the south east of the site. The maximum predicted 3rd highest 8 hour CO concentration during DFO firing is 63.9 µg/m3, which represents 0.6 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 568 m to the south east of the site.

• In all cases the maximum ground level concentrations associated with operation of the plant in OCGT mode are significantly less that those for CCGT operation. IN all but the hourly averaging periods the peak ground level concentrations observed are located within 1 km of the proposed site.

• The cumulative impact assessment of the Amman East and Samra plant does not show a significant cumulative impact associated with the two plant despite the modelling assuming an absolute worst case.

In conclusion, the impact of the atmospheric emissions from the proposed Amman East CCGT will be well within the Jordanian limits and World Bank guidelines.

Water quality

The discharge of any effluents during construction, including site drainage, will be the responsibility of the construction contractor, who will be required by the developer to dispose of any construction effluents in a responsible manner. Standard good working practices should ensure that any impacts due to the water discharging from the site would be insignificant.

All water required by the plant will be provided by the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) who will construct a dedicated pipeline to the Amman East site. The agreement with WAJ will allow the plant



to use up to 250 m3 of water per day though the plant may ultimately use less that this during operation. During operation, water will only be required on a day to day basis for make-up to the boiler water system and for service water (drinking water etc).

On a day-to-day basis, the only effluent produced by plant will comprise the effluent from the water treatment plant. This effluent will be discharged to an evaporation pond following treatment in pH adjustment, coagulation and clarifier tanks. There will be no discharges of process water to any local water course.

Small quantities of boiler water (boiler blowdown) are discharged in order to avoid the build-up of impurities in the boiler water. This discharge is virtually pure water, containing very small quantities of various chemicals that are used to prevent corrosion and scaling in the boiler. The boiler blowdown will be recovered and reused if possible, perhaps for irrigation purposes if practical. Any remainder will be discharged to the evaporation pond. Sewage will be treated on site with the treated water discharged to the evaporation pond. Sludge generated from the sewage will be removed from site by tanker and discharged to either a local sewer or appropriate land fill site.

Any areas of the site that are likely to be contaminated with oil will drain to oil interceptor(s) to limit visible oil in the water.

In conclusion the environmental impact of the Amman East CCGT Power Station with regard to water quality is not considered to be significant.

Geology, soils and wastes

Investigation of the site has not identified the potential for any contamination to be present at the proposed Amman East CCGT site. The site has not understood to have been used in the past for any industrial purpose that could have lead to contamination of the site.

The propose plant will be operated in such a manner as to minimize the generation of solid wastes. CCGT plant represent an inherently clean and efficient manner of electricity generation and the solid wastes produced by the plant will be minimal.

Where possible wastes will be recycled or reused with those that cannot be disposed of by an appropriately licensed contractor at an appropriate disposal site.

Noise

The impact of construction noise has been predicted using a noise model incorporating various items of plant and construction equipment at a distance of 250 m. This is the distance from the centre of the power plant site to the nearest sensitive receptor. The model does not consider any screening, directivity or absorptive effects and therefore represents a worst case. The majority of construction equipment has been predicted to fall under the daytime project limit of 50 dB(A). However, it is possible that residents in this area may experience an increase in noise levels above the daytime project limit of 50 dB(A) during construction.



The impact of predicted operational noise has been assessed for the proposed plant against background noise levels, which have been recorded as part a baseline monitoring exercise. The noise model has predicted the potential for a 1 dB exceedence to the night-time project limit of 40 dB(A) at the closest noise sensitive receptor to the site boundary. It is noted that this is a worst-case noise level assuming that 100 per cent of plant equipment will be running during the night which might not ultimately occur. The predicted noise level increase of 1 dB is therefore not considered to be significant.

The noise impact associated with the construction and operation of the proposed plant is therefore considered to be acceptable.

Visual impact

The substantial buildings envisaged on site are the turbine hall, 2 × heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), air cooled condensers, control room and storage tanks. The remaining plant and equipment will, in the main, be housed in relatively low buildings, of the order of 3 to 6 m in height. The tallest structure on site will be the 45 m stacks.

All reasonable measures shall be taken to minimize visual impact of the plant. Structures and buildings shall meet the standards generally accepted for a facility of this type and shall be in accordance with all applicable local and national consents relating to appearance. Final architectural arrangements shall be submitted for approval to the Owner/Engineer.

Traffic and infrastructure

Road access to the proposed site is via a new access road that will link to the Zarqa to Sahab road immediately to the north of the project site.

The 28-month construction phase of the CCGT plant will give rise to additional traffic movements. In addition to staff transport movements construction traffic will consist of civil works traffic, mechanical works traffic and a small number of abnormal loads for components such as the gas and steam turbines. Approximately 50 heavy commercial vehicles per day will be expected on average with 70-100 per day at the peak of the construction period. Vehicles bringing deliveries to site are likely to be spread throughout the working day. This will not represent a significant increment to the existing traffic movements on the Zarqa to Sahab road which averages at about 1900 vehicles/day the majority of which are associated with the rush hours at 6.30 am and 4.30 pm.

The exact number of abnormal loads would depend on the configuration of the plant that will only be finalized during the tendering process. However, this is likely to be of the order of 15 to 20 over the 28-month construction period. The transport of abnormal loads, which may lead to delays and cause inconvenience to other road users, would be timed following consultation with the relevant authorities to minimize disruption to the other road users.

Normal operation of the plant will give rise to traffic movements associated with the 50 personnel working at the site. There may be a slight increase over a 2-4 week period per annum during major inspection and outage work. At times of interruption to the natural gas supply, distillate fuel oil (DFO) required would be taken from the on-site storage tanks, which will be sized to contain 14 days DFO



supply. In the event that firing on DFO occurred the storage tanks would then be refilled using road tankers. The potential for the tanks to hold 14 days DFO supply means that tanks can be refilled over a longer period of time (unless the interruption is serious in nature). It is estimated that the total number of transporting diesel trucks from Jordan Petroleum Refinery to the project location will be about 2–3 trucks/day assuming each truck load is 32 to 42 tonnes.

Traffic movements associated with the decommissioning of the plant would likely be less frequent than that associated with the construction of the plant.

It can therefore be concluded that there will be no significant increase in the daily traffic to and from the site due to the proposed power plant and there will be no effect on local traffic patterns and infrastructure in the construction, operation or decommissioning phases.

Socio-economics

At the peak of the construction phase the proposed Amman East combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant will employ of the order of 1,000 construction workers with an average of between 600-700. Construction of the new plant is expected to commence in February 2007. The construction workforce will likely peak at about 1,000 with an average of between 600–700.

The plant will be constructed, installed and commissioned and be operable and maintainable in full compliance with all relevant health and safety at work orders, all related acts, regulations, codes and statutory requirements.

The plant will operate continuously throughout the year and will be designed to have an expected operational life of 25 years though could potentially continue generation beyond this. Maintenance of the Facility shall be scheduled for the months of November through May, and not during June through October to reflect the likely peak demands. The Civil infrastructure, on site roads etc will be designed to have a minimum working life of 30 years.

The Amman East CCGT will be designed to operate with a significant amount of automatic control but will require up to 40-50 staff. These jobs will be permanent, non-seasonal jobs lasting for the lifetime of the power station.

The project will not involve the displacement of local peoples or removal of livelihood of an individual with the site being currently unused and in the ownership of Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Surveys.

Development of the site is predicted to bring money in to the area that will be to the advantage of local merchants who will could expect too see increased revenues through the provision of services to the construction and operational staff and to the plant itself though service contracts for e.g. vehicle maintenance etc.

The Amman East CCGT is therefore expected to have a positive socio economic impact on the area through the provision of jobs and investment throughout its predicted 30 year lifetime.



Ecology

The ecological surveys undertaken have assessed the direct and indirect impacts of the project on various aspects of terrestrial biological environment in the project area during the three phases of the project; construction, operation and decommissioning.

In making this assessment a number of different methods were employed to assess the existing biological baseline in the project area and to evaluate the expected impacts of the plant on the baseline with regard to the nature of the subject being studied.

The proposed project area is located in one major Jordanian ecosystem, the Scrap and Highland ecosystem. This ecosystem consists of escarpments and mountains, hills and undulating plateaus, which extend mainly from Irbid in the north to Ras Al Naqab in the south, and, from Rift Valley region in the west to the Badia in the east.

The site itself is typical of the area and there are no notable species (of fauna or flora) located within the site boundary. The project is not located in an area that would require it to be classified as a critical natural habitat by the IFC (such as a Jordanian nationally protected site) and therefore does not contravene the policies of the World Bank and IFC with regard to such habitats.

The ecological studies undertaken concluded that whist the construction of the plant would result in the destruction of all or much of the existing habitat on site, the habitat does not represent a source of any notable fauna or flora when considered in the context of the surrounding area. It is therefore considered that the plant would have an insignificant impact to ecology in the area.

Cultural heritage

An archaeological assessment has been undertaken of the Amman East CCGT site to allow for the identification of any archaeological remains on site or in the surrounding area that could be impacted upon by the construction and operation of the proposed plant.

Work has taken in to consideration the relevant Jordanian legislation regarding the protection of archaeological remains (Archaeology Act (No.32, 2004)). In making the impact assessment consideration has also been made to the Guidance Note 8 of the World Bank.

The assessment concluded that there was no obvious or likely on site archaeological remains that would be impacted upon by the plant and that due to the nature and history of the site the potential for an impact on archaeological is low. The project does not therefore contravene Guidance Note 8. In addition the project is outside the 1 km radius of any sites protected by the Archaeology Act and will therefore not impact on the sites protected by the act.

It is proposed that if any archaeological remains are found during construction and would otherwise be damaged by construction activities, the Department of Antiquities will be invited to site to assess the discovered remains and allowed to carry out an emergency salvage excavation if considered necessary.



Health and safety

A major hazard assessment has been undertaken for the project to identify potential hazards and the manner in which the risks associated with these will be mitigated. None of the hazards identified are considered to represent a significant hazard to human health or the environment so long as the mitigation identified is implemented.

The health and safety procedures and policies that will be prepared for the CCGT plant will contain the performance levels and measures that are normally acceptable to the IFC and those required by Jordanian law.

A Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) Plan will be prepared by the EPC contractor for the construction works prior to commencement of the construction activities. Workers will be provided with personal protective equipment and training and will be required to use these as necessary. Guidelines for maintaining hygienic conditions and appropriate shelter at eating, resting, drinking and washing facilities on project site will be established.

Precautions will be taken to keep the risk of exposure to hazardous materials as low as possible. Work processes, engineering and administrative control measures will be designed, maintained and operated so as to avoid or minimize the release of hazardous substances into the working environment.

An Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) has been prepared for the project. This document provides information on the mitigation measures that are discussed in detail in the ES and identifies any monitoring that will be necessary in order to ensure that these are being successfully implemented. This is provided for both the construction and operational phases. The EPC Contractors HSE Plan and the Operations EMS will be prepared at a later date and will include further details on the manner in which the aims of the EMMP will be implemented.

An environmental and safety manager will be appointed for the construction and operational phases to ensure that the EMMP and other environmental policies are properly adhered to and that all national laws are complied with.

It is considered that so long as the proponent implements the mitigation and monitoring measures outlined in the ES and the EMMP the project will comply fully with all relevant health and safety requirements with regard to staff and members of the general public required in the relevant Jordanian legislation as well as the requirements of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.

Associated infrastructure and Cumulative Impact

The installation of the support infrastructure including the transmission line, substation and water and gas pipelines is not expected to give rise to significant environmental impacts. In all cases the responsibility for the consenting, construction and operation of these lies completely outside the control of AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co. In all cases there is an obligation on the relevant parties to install the infrastructure to allow for the operation of the Amman East CCGT. There are no legal implications associated with the consenting, construction and operation of this infrastructure.



There is not considered to be a potential for the Amman East to give rise to significant cumulative environmental impacts when considered with the construction of infrastructure associated with the plant, or for that matter with any other industrial activities existing or proposed.

Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan

The Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) prepared for the project provides information on the mitigation measures and monitoring that will be employed to minimize the environmental and social impact of the project in both the construction and operational phases.

In preparing the EMMP consideration has been given as appropriate to the IFC’s Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability. Consideration has also been given to the relevant Jordanian legislation as necessary including:

• Instruction for management and handling of hazardous waste

• Civil Defence Act (No.90,2003)

• Public Health Act (No. 54,2002)

• Instruction of managing and circulating of the waste oils

• Hazardous substances Law (No.16/1953)

Due to the proven nature of CCGT technology the plant to be constructed will be able to take advantage of many years of development in the process that make CCGT plants an inherently clean and safe way of generating electricity. As a result of this there is little by way of mitigation and monitoring additional to that which is inherent in the plant design necessary and therefore little by way of additional expense.

All monitoring and mitigation measures during the construction phase will be the responsibility of the EPC contractor who will pay for these as necessary. The cost of this mitigation is negligible and is in any case part of best working practices. The only expenses identified as being especially significant are the measures to prevent release of oil and other liquids into local water courses and the ground ($140,000), a Health and Safety Plan ($20,000) and any land reinstatement ($100,000). The total incurred expense for mitigation measures by the contractor will be of the order $535,000, however many of these measures are standard practice on projects of this nature and therefore are integrated into the overall EPC Contract value as standard, many items are included in order to fulfil separate functions in addition to the environmental benefit.

In addition to this the plant may need to be equipped with noise enclosures for all plant items where practicable, not overlooking smaller plant items such as compressors and pumps the cost to the construction (and the proponent) would be about $2 m. The Proponent will also need to prepare/commission an emergency response plan for spillage of hazardous materials, leaks for fuel tanks etc which could cost of the order of $10,000. These prices would cover the full construction and operational phases of the project.



The total cost for mitigation and monitoring, excluding the noise abatement referenced above, is expected to be of the order of $1,500,000 for the construction and operation.

No other additional mitigation expenses are predicted for the proponent and contractor. There are not expected to be any expenses incurred by any government ministries with regard to mitigation.

Monitoring costs would be minimal and would principally be associated with the purchase of monitoring equipment and the employment of the relevant environmental managers. It is not expected that the cost of monitoring will exceed $10,000 with regard to the expenses incurred by the contractor and a similar amount by the proponent (annually). The cost of the most expensive monitoring device the continuous emission monitoring device would likely be of the order of $300,000 but is part of the plant design and must therefore be discounted from the additional costs associated with the plants operation.

Key mitigation and monitoring objectives of the EMMP include:

• The bunding of all storage tanks and containers with 110 per cent impermeable bunds to ensure that in the event that a tank were to leak all material is contained and could be safely removed and the tank was repaired;

• The use of dust suppression measures such as the use of water bowsers to minimize the potential for dust creation during the construction period;

• The encouraging of the use of public transport, car sharing or use of minibuses to minimize the impact of the projects construction and operational activities on the local traffic infrastructure;

• The installation of a continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS) in the stack of the power station during operation to ensure that all emissions limits are adhered to; and

• The installation of fire protection measures to ensure that any fire can be combated effectively.

To ensure that the monitoring and mitigation measures outlined in the EMMP are successfully implemented a environmental and safety manager will be appointed during the construction and operational phases to oversee the process.

It is considered that so long as the plant implements the mitigation and monitoring measures outlined in the EMMP the project will comply fully with all relevant Jordanian Laws as well as the requirements of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.



2. INTRODUCTION

2.1 The project

AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co propose to construct the East Amman IPP combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant near the village of Al-Manakher, about 4 km to the east of Amman on a site to be leased from the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Survey. The plant will involve the construction of a CCGT power plant with a nominal output of 370 MW at specified site rated conditions. The location of the site is shown in Figure 1.1.

The plant will consist of two gas turbines, primarily fuelled by gas, complete with associated heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a single steam turbine. The thermal input of the proposed plant will be approximately 790 MWth. Approximately 63 per cent of the 370 MWe power generated at the station will be produced by the gas turbines with the steam turbine providing the remaining 37 per cent. The development of the project will be such that the plant may operate in open cycle (OCGT) mode to provide electricity to NEPCO whilst the HRSGs and steam turbine is being installed. A preliminary layout of the plant is shown in Figure 2.1. This will be subject to minor changes throughout the design process.

The plant will, during normal operation fire on natural gas that will be supplied via a dedicated gas pipeline that will tee in to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan. The gas pipeline will be installed owned and operated by Fajer Gas Company (FGC) who will be responsible for installation of the pipeline from the main gas pipeline to the site boundary approximately 800 m to the west. FGC will sell gas to NEPCO who will be the supplier of natural gas to the proposed CCGT.

The electricity generated by the Project will be exported to the Jordanian national grid network via a 400 kV substation that will be constructed, owned, and operated by NEPCO and located adjacent to the Project Site.

The plant will include equipment necessary to receive power from NEPCO’s 400 kV HV substation and transform it to the voltage required by the station for start-up of the gas turbines and other needs. The Facility shall be provided with a black start capability to allow for start up of the plant in the event of a power failure to the site.


It is proposed that the gas turbines chosen for the proposed plant will be equipped with the proven pollution control technology, which will limit the production of NOx to a maximum of 125 mg/Nm3 during gas firing and a maximum of 165 mg/Nm3 during oil firing at full loads. The technology for controlling emissions of NOx is known as the dry low NOx system, limits emissions of NOx to atmosphere. Natural gas is a clean fuel and does not produce the particulate emissions associated with burning coal; consequently flue gas cleaning equipment is not required.



The flue gases from each unit will be discharged to a dedicated 45 m high stack though during open cycle operation this will be via a bypass stack that does not see flue gases pas through the HRSGs. Operation in open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) will allow the plant to operate without the steam turbine in the event that this is unavailable.

The plant will be designed primarily for base load operation but it will also be capable of two shifting, if such operation is required. The plant will operate at high net capacity factors with a target availability of above 90 per cent

The plant will include support facilities such as administration buildings, warehouses, workshops, fuel delivery and back-up fuel storage facilities, main and plant transformers, plant switch gear and metering required for connection to NEPCO’s substation at the high voltage bushings, and water systems. Also included will be all necessary site infrastructure such as roads, a potable water system, a sanitary sewer system, parking areas, lighting, security fencing, etc.

The plant will operate within all relevant Jordanian national environmental limits as well as complying with the guideline emissions limits of the World Bank and guidelines of Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) the Project Lenders.

Construction of the new plant is expected to commence in February 2007. The construction workforce will likely peak at about 1,000 with an average of between 600 –700. The target date for simple (open) cycle operation is June 2008 and full combined cycle operation is June 2009. Operational staff for the new plant will be of the order of 40-50 permanent personnel.

The plant will operate continuously throughout the year and will be designed to have an expected operational life of 25-30 years though could potentially continue generation beyond this. Maintenance of the Facility shall be scheduled for the months of November through May, and not during June through October to reflect the likely peak demands.

2.2 The developer

The developer is AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co is a joint venture company and independent power producer (IPP) wholly owned by the AES Electric and Mitsui & Co groups.

2.3 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

PB Power, assisted by the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies (ACES) have undertaken an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Amman East CCGT to determine the impact that the construction, operation and where possible decommissioning will have on the receiving environment.

The project is considered to be categorized as a Category A project under the Equator Principles requiring a full ESIA to be undertaken to assess the plants impact to the natural and human environment. This report is therefore intended to satisfy the environmental assessment requirements for a Category A project.



A detailed scoping and consultation exercise has been undertaken to identify the potential environmental issues associated with the construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed CCGT plant and how these should be addressed. This study also established the relevant Jordanian, World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) limits, standards and guidance.

2.3.1 Scoping exercise

2.3.1.1 Introduction

A Scoping Study for the project was undertaken by PB Power and ACES in July 2006. This described the key environmental issues that, in PB Power’s opinion, would require detailed evaluation as part of this Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process.

The principle objectives of the scoping study were to:

• Identify the key environmental issues to be included in the assessment.

• Identify the legal requirements and framework for the project through the course of its lifetime.

• Identify the relevant component studies to establish the relevant baseline for the project.

• To finalize the proposed Terms of Reference (ToR).

A formal scoping session was held on the 4 July 2006 in the Holiday Inn, Amman on the request of the Ministry of Environment (MoE) in accordance with MoE ESIA regulation. The MoE invited relevant and potentially relevant stakeholders to this scoping session including organizations from the public and private sectors in addition to NGO’s and neighbouring residents. The scoping session was also advertised in the Jordanian Times on the 3 July 2006 (see Appendix A) to allow interested members of the general public to attend the meeting. A list of the participants at this event is provided in Appendix B.

As part of the scoping session members of the ESIA team gave a presentation detailing the project activities, facilities, and processes. Graphics and diagrams were included in the presentation highlighting the importance of the project and the need to identify potential interactions between the project activities and the receiving environment.

The participants were asked to review the legal requirements in the proposed ToR, which were presented on a slide to help identify any additional legislation that could be considered applicable to the project.

The participants were provided with a comments form to detail their concerns regarding the project (if any) with sufficient time was allowed for any comments to be noted. Upon completion all forms were collected by a MoE representative who subsequently provided copies of the forms to the ESIA team to allow these to be considered as part of the ESIA. A summary of the concerns raised in included in Appendix C.



Additional public consultation has been undertaken for the proposed 16 km 400 kV Overhead Transmission Line ESIA prepared on behalf of NEPCO which is included in Appendix M. This included a survey of interested 93 residents along the route of the transmission line.

Principle concerns associated with the construction and operation of the transmission line include:

• Potential effects of electromagnetic interference (EMF) on human health;

• Decrease in land and property values

• Concern over fair compensation for any confiscation of lands

• Concern over any potential noise emissions

These issues were all subsequently addressed in the EISA for the proposed NEPCO transmission line.

2.3.2 The ESIA

The ESIA has comprised a comprehensive study of the baseline environmental conditions of the proposed power station location, the predicted impact of the plant and the mitigation measures necessary to protect the environment from the impact of the project. The ESIA has included:

1. Screening stage, which concluded that a full ESIA was required to satisfy the MoE and the World Bank laws and criteria.

2. Scoping stage, described above to allow interested and affected parties to participate in the ESIA process. Their concerns relating to the project were documented and were used to inform the ESIA process.

3. Collection of baseline data against which the environmental impacts of the project was assessed.

4. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment stage to determine the impact of the proposed project on the receiving environment.

5. Identification of mitigation and monitoring of impacts where appropriate. Including the preparation of an Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (EMMP) for the project.

6. Summary of the above in an Environmental Statement (ES) for consideration by the relevant Jordanian Ministries and World Bank.

The findings of the ESIA have been reported in this Environmental Statement.



2.3.3 Environmental Statement

This Environmental Statement (ES) summarizes the findings of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) studies undertaken for the proposed project. The structure of the ES is as follows:

Section 1 - Non Technical Summary

Section 2 - Introduction

Section 3 - Policy and Administrative Framework

Section 4 - Analysis of Alternatives

Section 5 - Project and Site Description

Section 6 - Description of Environmental and Social Baseline

Section 7 - Environmental Impact

Section 8 - Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Programme

Section 9 - Inter Agency, Public and NGO Consultation.

For each impact considered the existing environment has been described, the potential impacts of the construction and operation phase have been discussed and mitigation measures and monitoring programmes proposed where appropriate.

The worst case option has been considered to allow final design flexibility. This ensures that the ES evaluates the plant alternatives of the greatest potential impact.



3. POLICY AND LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK

The ESIA has considered all legislation identified as being relevant to the project including that identified by the ESIA team and participants at the scoping secession. The relevant legislation is summarized below.

Applicable Jordanian laws and standards

• Environment protection law (No.1, 2003).

• Environmental Impact Assessment by-law (No.37, 2005).

• Air emissions from stationary sources standard (No. 1189,1998)

• Ambient Air Quality (No .1140,2005)

• Public Heath law (No. 54, 2002)

• Noise Preventions and Limitations Instructions Paragraph (d) issued in accordance to Act No. (1)/2003 Act No. (1)/2003 and Noise Level Control Regulation for 1997

• Water Authority's Act (No. 62,2001)

• Water Authority Law (No. 18,1988)

• Underground -water Monitoring By-law (No.85, 2002)

• Archaeology Act (No.32, 2004)


• Dimensions, Total weights and Vehicles' Engine Horse Power By-law issued in accordance with paragraph (a) from article (19) & article (64) from The Traffic Act (47)/2001

• Labour law (No.51,2002)

• Ministry of Agriculture Law (No. 44,2002)

• Waste oil management instruction.


• Management of solid waste.



Applicable/potentially applicable World Bank and IFC standards and guidance

Performance Standards

• International Finance Corporation’s Guidance Notes: Performance Standards on Social & Environmental Sustainability April 2006 including the following guidance notes:

Safeguard Policies

• IFC Operational Policy OP 4.01 Environmental Assessment October 1998

• IFC Operational Policy OP 4.04 Natural Habitats November 1998

• World Bank Operational Policy Note OPN 11.03 Cultural Property September 1986

Guidance notes

• Guidance Note 1: Social and Environmental Assessment and Management Systems

• Guidance Note 2: Labor and Working Conditions

• Guidance Note 3: Pollution Prevention and Abatement

• Guidance Note 4: Community Health, Safety and Security

• Guidance Note 5: Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement

• Guidance Note 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management

• Guidance Note 7: Indigenous Peoples

• Guidance Note 8: Cultural Heritage

Sector guidelines

• World Bank Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook: General Environmental Guidelines July 1998

• World Bank Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook: New Thermal Power Plants July 1998

• IFC Guidelines: Hazardous Materials Management December 2001

• IFC General Health and Safety Guidelines July 1998



Manuals

• IFC A Good Practice Manual – Doing Better Business Through Effective Public Consultation and Disclosure.

Draft Guidelines

• Environmental, health & safety General Guidelines.

3.1.1 Energy sector administrative framework

The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has established the objectives to facilitate the development of the national power sector. These include:

a. Provision of a secure electricity supply to meet the country’s domestic internal demand;

b. Generate sufficient amounts of electricity to allow the Kingdom to export electricity to other countries in the region;

c. Develop the national electricity network to allow for the interchange of energy, internally and to neighbours in the region; and

d. Attracting of private investment (domestic and foreign) to the Jordanian power sector.

The Government has a particular interest in attracting foreign investment to Jordan and to this end has passed legislation and is implementing policy initiatives to continue to encourage this investment. The Government wants to introduce Independent Power Producers (IPP) to Jordan, and it is particularly interested in participating via such IPPs and interconnection to neighbouring national girds in the development of a regional power market. Jordan offers the region a favourable geographic location, a well developed and efficient infrastructure, political and economic stability, and a quality human resource base with a solid commercial orientation that makes it suitable to offer this service.

To support these specific policy objectives, the Government has adopted a strategy for the development of its power sector, which envisages greater participation by the private sector. As part of its strategy the Government has decided that all new generation capacity will be installed, owned, and operated by the private sector. This new capacity will be procured through an international competitive tendering process. Specifically, the Government has recently taken important measures to commercialize the power sector, increase competitiveness within the sector, and improve the environment for private sector investment.

The electricity sector within Jordan has been undergoing a continuous process of reform since as early as 1996. In September 1996, the Government of Jordan enacted Law No. (10) of 1996, the General Electricity Law (“1996 GEL”). Under the 1996 GEL, the Government took its first step in privatizing the national electricity industry by converting the Jordan Electricity Authority to a public shareholding company called the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO). The 1996 GEL also



provided for the issuance of licenses for the generation of electricity to private companies. Such licenses were to be issued by the Council of Ministers.

In 1999, the 1996 GEL was amended and replaced by the General Electricity Law No. (13) of 1999. One of the principal features of the 1999 GEL was the establishment of the Electricity Sector Regulatory Commission (“Commission” or “ERC”). The Commission was charged with the responsibility for issuing licenses to companies for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. This law also envisaged the issuance of licenses to developers of electric power stations planned for capacity in excess of 5 MWe through a competitive tendering process.

The Government of Jordan has taken steps to enact a new electricity law, the General Electricity Law for the Year 2002 (2002 GEL) that clarifies the role and function of the Commission as an independent agency responsible for regulating the power sector in three areas – generation, transmission and distribution. Although the 2002 GEL envisages issuance of licenses for generation of electricity pursuant to applications to the Commission, initial independent power producers will be granted licenses pursuant to the applicable license form and the Electricity Companies Licensing By-Law and the terms of the concession (or implementation) agreement entered into with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. It is under this statutory regime that the first IPPs in Jordan, including the Amman East Project will be established.

AES and Mitsui & Co as the successful Project Sponsor will be required to form and incorporate a Project Company in Jordan prior to Financial Close. This Project Company will construct, own, and operate the Facility throughout the Term of the PPA, and will pay taxes and fees as any other corporate entity would within the relevant legal structures and incentive programs. AES and Mitsui & Co will mobilize project or other financing sufficient to develop and construct the Facility using both equity and debt resources. Funding may also be available from multi- and bi-lateral sources of funding, export credit agencies, and commercial sources of finance.

3.1.2 Institutional framework and mandate

A summary of responsibilities of governmental authorities is outlined below and in Table 3.1.

TABLE 3.1 SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOME RELEVANT REGULATORY

AUTHORITIES

Authority Responsibility

Ministry of Environment Permitting prior to operation (ESIA report is required). Inspection during operation.

Ministry of Labour Permitting prior to operation (after occupational health and safety measures). Inspection during operation.

Water Authority Permitting prior to construction (identification of intersection with water piping distribution system). Supplying water needs for hydraulic test.

Department of Antiquities Permitting in case of existence of Archaeological remains (ESIA report would be needed).



Authority Responsibility

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Responsible for energy sector.

Civil Defences Approval for construction plans. Permitting prior to operation.

Ministry of Housing and Public Works Permitting prior to construction

Department of Land and Survey Permitting prior to construction

3.1.2.1 Ministry of Environment

Ministry of Environment (MoE) was established in 2003 to replace administratively the General Corporation for Environment Protection that was in effective since 1995.

The Environment Protection Law was issued in 2003 as a temporary law, and has been issued in a final form, ratified by the parliament in October, 2006 (Law No. 52 of 2006).

MoE has an authority to prepare the environmental by-laws, regulations, directives and guidelines. MOE will also, in coordination with other concerned authorities, establish a policy for environmental protection and elucidate the strategy for its implementation.

MoE has issued EIA by-law (No. 37, 2005) which includes the procedures for conducting ESIA in Jordan and also gives MoE the responsibility to provide/review/approve terms of reference and review ESIA study reports. Article 13 of the Environmental Protection Law No. 52 of 2006 empowers the Ministry of Environment to ask any new establishment has potential impacts on environment to prepare an ESIA study.

The EIA Directorate in the Ministry is responsible for licensing of the projects. The projects are referred to the EIA Directorate, and submitted to a Central Licensing Committee that consists of representatives of the relevant governmental authorities such as Ministries of Environment, Health, Water and Agriculture. An approval from the committee is required for licensing, which may have conditions attached to it, before the relevant authorities can grant permission.

Once construction on/operation of the proposed plant commences the MoE will be the ministry responsible for investigating any public complaint against the contractor or proponent. In addition the ministry will be responsible for ensuring that any monitoring undertaken is undertaken to a sufficient standard to prove compliance with national legislation. The ministry will make annual or bi-annual assessments of the plants environmental performance as deemed necessary. The Ministry is used to dealing with the impacts associated with projects such as power plant and therefore now agency training is required.

3.1.2.2 Department of Antiquities

The Law of Antiquities (No. 21, 1988) calls for immediate reporting of any found remnants. The Department then has the right to assess the significance of any discovered remnants/antiquities and puts its recommendations accordingly.



3.1.2.3 Water Authority (WAJ)

According to the Water Authority Law No. 18, 1988; WAJ is responsible for water distribution network in the Kingdom and supplying projects with the required quantity of water needed. Additionally, WAJ is responsible for monitoring water quality (surface and ground water and industrial discharges).

3.1.2.4 Directorate of Civil Defense

The Directorate of Civil Defense grants approval on safety measures for industries and projects including emergency plan, occupational health and safety plans, and storage and handling of hazardous materials. The Directorate issues its final approval after an inspection visit has taken place to the project facilities to ensure conformity with the set requirements.

3.2 Compliance with Jordanian and World Bank/IFC guidance and policies

The project fully complies with all relevant Jordanian and World Bank/IFC guidance and policies. For clarity these are summarized in below for Jordanian legislation in Table 9.2 and for the World Bank Table 3.2.

TABLE 3.2 COMPLIANCE OF AMMAN EAST IPP WITH RELEVANT JORDANIAN

STANDARDS

Jordanian law/standard Compliance/rational

Environment protection law (No.1, 2003)

Project Complies: The project will not pose an unacceptable impact to the environment and complies with all relevant Jordanian legislation.

Environmental Impact Assessment by-law (No.37, 2005)

Project Complies :An Environmental Impact Assessment has been undertaken for the project

Air emissions from stationary sources standard (No. 1189,1998)

Project Complies: The project will comply with the relevant emissions standards

Ambient Air Quality (No .1140,2005)

Project Complies: The project will comply with all relevant Jordanian ambient air quality requirements

Public Heath law (No. 54, 2002) Project Complies: The Project will not pose any public heath issues

Noise Preventions and Limitations Instructions Paragraph (d) issued in accordance to Act No. (1)/2003 Act No. (1)/2003 and Noise Level Control Regulation for 1997

Project Complies: The Project will broadly comply with the criteria of the Act




Water Authority's Act (No. 62,2001)

Project Complies: All water will be provided by WAJ with no water taken from other sources. No water will be released to sensitive surface or ground waters.

Water Authority Law (No. 18,1988)

Underground -water Monitoring By-law (No.85, 2002)


Archaeology Act (No.32, 2004) Project Complies: No significant archaeological interests were identified at site.

Civil Defence Act (No.90,2003) Project Complies: The project will not pose a safety hazard to the general public

Dimensions, Total weights and Vehicles' Engine Horse Power By-law issued in accordance with paragraph (a) from article (19) & article (64) from The Traffic Act (47)/2001

Project Complies: The project will comply with the requirements of the law.

Labour law (No.51,2002) Project Complies: The project will operate under the requirements of this law

Ministry of Agriculture Law (No. 44,2002)

Project Complies: The project will not include the removal of large areas of agricultural land from its current use or impact on these during construction or operation.

Waste oil management instruction.

Project Complies: The project will handles all waste oils in accordance with the instruction.

Hazardous substances Law (No.16/1953)

Project Complies: The project will ensure the proper storage and use of any hazardous substances to be used by the plant.

Management of solid waste.

Project Complies: The project will ensure proper and appropriate handling of waste materials during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases.



TABLE 3.3 COMPLIANCE OF AMMAN EAST IPP WITH IFC SAFEGUARDS, OPERATIONAL

POLICIES AND STANDARDS

Policy Compliance/rational

OP 4.01: Environmental Assessment

Project Complies: an environmental assessment is being prepared following the requirements for a Category A project.

OP 4.04 and Annex A Natural Habitats Project Complies: the power plant will not impact significantly on local habitats

OP 4.10: Indigenous Peoples

Project Complies: the power plant is located so as not to require the resettlement of indigenous peoples

OP 4.11: Management of Cultural Property

Project Complies: no historic or culturally significant features were identified on the project site.

OP 4.12 and Annex A: Involuntary Resettlement

Project Complies: the power plant is located on land that is leased from the government. Where appropriate, a Resettlement Policy Framework has been established and a Resettlement Action Plan will be prepared for those people identified as project affected person.

Labour Standards Project Complies: no person will be harmfully or unwilling employed by the project sponsor.

Disclosure of Information Policy

Project Complies: the project sponsor has implemented the necessary Public Consultation to facilitate the transfer of information to project stakeholders.

3.2.1 Key issues from consideration of World Bank Guidance

The World Bank guidelines for new thermal power stations (1998) summarize the key production and emission control practices necessary to achieve compliance. This section identifies the applicable issues and describes how each has been addressed during project planning activities.

Issue 1: Choose the cleanest fuel economically available.

As natural gas is available domestically and is cleaner-burning than oil or coal, the power station will utilize natural gas for fuel with DFO as back up.

Issue 2: Select the best power generation technology for the fuel.

Selection of the power generation technology and pollution control systems should be balanced with the environmental and economic costs and benefits based on the site-specific ESIA. Combined cycle technology, utilizing dry low NOX burners, will be used to generate power. Combined cycle technology possesses the most efficient process for producing power from natural gas, in addition to minimizing the rate of air emissions per unit of power produced. The ESIA identified no significant environmental costs that could be alleviated by using alternative power generation technology.



Issue 3: For pollution control, consider that particulate matter smaller than 10 microns in size (PM10) are most important from a health perspective, and acceptable levels of removal are achievable at relatively low cost.

The emission rate of PM10 will be well below both the emission guidelines of the World Bank and the emission standards of Jordan.

Issue 4: For pollution control, consider that low NOX burners and other combustion modifications can achieve NOX reductions.

The gas turbines will be equipped with dry, low NOx burners that at loads above 50 per cent have NOx emissions well below emission guidelines of the World Bank and the emission standards of Jordan.

Issue 5: Before adopting expensive control technologies, consider the option of achieving offsetting reductions in emissions of critical pollutants at other sources within the airshed to achieve acceptable ambient levels.

Preliminary baseline ambient air quality monitoring indicates that the project site is located in a relatively clean airshed, as defined in the World Bank guidelines (1998). The combination of combined cycle technology, sulphur and dust-free natural gas, with dry, low NOx burners will allow the power station to operate within ambient air quality guidelines and preclude the need for offsetting emission reductions.

Issue 6: Sulphur oxides removal systems that generate less wastewater are normally preferred.

The sulphur-free natural gas being used precludes the need for desulphurization technologies.

Issue 7: Ash disposal and reclamation should be managed to minimize environmental impacts.

Ash will not be generated by the proposed CCGT plant.

Issue 8: Consider re-circulating cooling systems where thermal discharge to water bodies may be of concern.

The CCGT plant will be air cooled and therefore there will be no issues associated with thermal recirculation etc.

Issue 9: A comprehensive monitoring and reporting system is required.

The Project Sponsor will follow the comprehensive monitoring program that has been set out in the Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan for the project (see summary in Section 6).



3.3 Environmental Reporting

The plant will report on environmental performance during the construction and operational phases. This will include annual reports to OPIC and bi-annual reports to the MoE and JBIC.

3.4 Conclusion

Following a full environmental and social impact assessment the project has been identified as being fully compliant with all Jordanian, World Bank and IFC. The remainder of this document summarizes the impact assessments undertaken that underpins this conclusion.



4. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES

4.1 Identification of the need for additional power generation in Jordan

The project is to be constructed to help meet the electricity demand in Jordan that is predicted to rise in the 15-year electricity master plan issued by the Electricity Regulatory Commission of Jordan (ERC) from its current level of about 9368 GWh to 15422 GWh in 2020 (assuming a nationwide low case). This will require an increase in generation capacity in Jordan of 1029 MW from 1326 MW to 2355 MW.

The location of the plant, close to the principle centre of electricity demand in Jordan (Amman) will help Jordan to generate electricity in a manner that will minimize the transmission losses associated with long transmission lines from areas such as Aqaba.

4.2 Selection of the Amman East site

The site has been selected by the Ministry of Energy as being potentially suitable to house a CCGT development of up to 400 MWe. There are many advantages of the proposed site that make it an ideal location for power generation. These include amongst others:

• An existing transport infrastructure in the form of the Zarqa to Sahab road that will readily accommodate construction traffic;

• Availability of sufficient land to house the CCGT development;

• The close proximity of the existing Jordanian national grid transmission system;

• The close proximity of the ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan and is located some 800 m to the west of the proposed site;

• Proximity to centre of electricity demand in Jordan in the form of Amman which located just 14 km to the west; and

• A site removed from highly populated areas.

It is considered that the Amman East site is therefore highly suitable for the intended use of power generation.

4.3 The Site

The Amman East site is located near the village of Al-Manakher, about 14 km to the east of Amman on a site to be leased from the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Survey. The plant will involve the construction of a CCGT power plant with a nominal output of 370 MW at specified site rated conditions. The site location is shown on Figure 1.1.



The site comprises some 170 000 m3 of land which is currently unused at an elevation of some 840 m AOD (above ordinance datum).

There are no other industrial plants in the immediate vicinity of the Amman East site with the majority of the surrounding land either farmed (for cereal crops) or unused. There are a number of scattered houses in the area, which can be seen from the overhead photograph shown in Figure 4.1

The main Zarqa to Sahab road runs immediately to the north of the site and is considered to be of a high standard for the area. It is understood that the new Amman ring road may eventually run north-south about 500 m or so from the project site though construction of this road close to the site has not yet commenced.

The topography of the area is undulating with many small hills and valleys. The project site is fairly elevated in relation to the surrounding area but is afforded some screening by small hills to the south and east. A small wadi runs along the side of the Zarqa to Sahab road towards the west.

The geology of the site is typical of that in the surrounding area consisting of sedimentary rocks and relatively fertile soils. There is no sign of any ground contamination at the site, which is not known to have been used in the past for any purpose that would likely have lead to contamination of the soils on site.

The ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan runs north-south about 800 m to the west of the site. Whilst the nearest existing 400 kV transmission lines are located a few kilometres to the west.

The proposed site is not located in or near to any ecologically designated area with the on site ecology being typical of the area. There are no notable species (of fauna or flora) located within the site boundary.

There are some protected archaeological sites in the area but these are located outside a 5 km radius of the proposed power station site.

4.4 Choice of plant

The proposed Amman East development will involve the construction of a CCGT power plant with a nominal output of 370 MW at site rated conditions to meet the future energy demands of Jordan.



4.4.1 Choice of CCGT

There are a number of options available for the generation of 370 MWe but the proposed CCGT plant is considered to represent the most appropriate option for generation of the energy required.

The electricity could in theory be generated from a number of other generating plants including conventional thermal plant burning gas, oil, or solid fuels or through the generation from renewable energy generating plant such as wind turbines.

The generation of the electricity required by conventional thermal plant is not considered to be desirable given that such plant would be expected to be less efficient than the proposed CCGT plant and more costly to construct. The proposed Amman East plant is expected to have an efficiency of the order of just under 50 per cent which far exceeds the efficiency of typical conventional thermal plant which have efficiencies (depending on site specific conditions and the cooling system employed etc) of the order of 30 to 35 per cent. In addition such plant are more expensive to construct with the typical capital cost being as much as double that for a CCGT plant due to the costs associated with, amongst other plant items, the boilers and larger steam turbines employed by such plant.

In order to provide of the order of 370 MW at Amman East any waste to energy plant constructed at the site would need to incinerate at least 22 200 tonnes of waste per day based on the consumption of waste to energy plant in other parts of the world. This is clearly impracticable in terms of collection and transport of such quantities of waste, which would necessitate some 1000 truck movements per day to and from site to allow for the continuous operation of such a plant. In addition due to their significant expense, Waste to Energy plants are generally regarded as a waste management option rather than a power generation option.

The installation of 370 MW of renewable energy generation plant is not considered to be the best more most practical way to generate 370 MW in Jordan. Due to constraints with regards to fuel availability and transport it would not be feasible to install a biomass plant of this scale either at the Amman East site or indeed elsewhere in Jordan. The installation of 370 MW of wind turbines would be possible however the intermittent nature of generation from wind would not allow wind turbines to operate in a manner that would meet the electricity requirements of Jordan.

Solar photovoltaic panels convert light energy directly into direct current (DC) current suitable for charging a battery. Due to their small scale they are not considered feasible for providing up to 370 MWe in Jordan. As with generation from wind turbines there would be an intermittency associated with generation of electricity from photovoltaic panels that would render the use of such technology unsuitable for the electricity needs of the nation.

A gas-fired CCGT plant with distillate fuel oil backup will, therefore, offer the best available technology for the proposed project.

4.4.2 Choice of cooling system

CCGT Plants utilize the heat from the exhaust gases leaving the gas turbine to generate steam in a heat steam recovery generator (HRSG). This steam is then used in a steam turbine to generate



further electricity. The steam leaving the steam turbine is condensed by either water or air, producing condensate that is then reused in the HRSG.

Cooling techniques available include:

• once through cooling (direct river or sea water cooling)

• evaporative cooling towers

• hybrid cooling towers

• air cooled condensers (ACC)

Due to the lack of a suitable cooling water source at Amman East only ACCs can provide a practical cooling system for the new CCGT. The use of ACC’s will help limit the projects use of water to an absolute minimum and avoid consumption of large qualities of water that is at a premium in Jordan.

The performance of ACCs, as for cooling towers, is dependent on ambient temperature and is also sensitive to prevailing wind direction, gusty conditions and the height and position of buildings and other structures in the vicinity. The Amman East plant will be designed to minimize the impact of these sensitivities.

The preferred design for ACC units position the heat exchangers above the fan units, at approximately 30.5 m above the ground surface. The footprint of ACCs is significantly larger than for wet cooled or hybrid systems.

4.5 Pipeline routing and alternatives

The plant will be served by two new pipelines that will provide water and gas to the project site. The routing of these pipelines have been designed so as to run along the side of public roads so as to minimize the need for any confiscation of lands/displacement of peoples.

Any abstraction of ground water to use at the plant would not be practical due to the depth of the water table and the amounts of water needed to operate the plant.

4.6 Transmission line routing and alternatives

The plant will be served by a 400 kV overhead transmission line the routing of which has been carefully chosen so as to avoid unnecessary impact through proximity to sensitive receptors such as ecologically sensitive or residential areas.

The burial of the transmission is not considered to be feasible due to the cost and greater potential for environmental impact associated with the burial and any future excavation of the line.

The selection of the transmission line and route is discussed further in the NEPCO transmission line included in Appendix M.



5. PROJECT AND SITE DESCRIPTION

This section describes why AES Oasis and Mitsui and Co are undertaking the development, the options available in terms of technology and location, and provides a detailed description of Amman East combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant.

5.1 The proposed plant

It is expected that for the majority of its life the Amman East CCGT will operate continuously throughout the year, except for essential maintenance and statutory inspections. The plant will be capable of two shifting in the event that it is required to operate in this fashion. It will be designed and constructed with an high average annual availability ie above 90 per cent. The plant will also be capable of operation in open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) mode as necessary.

The plant will operate continuously throughout the year and will be designed to have an expected operational life of 25-30 years though could potentially continue generation beyond this.

Maintenance of the Facility shall be scheduled for the months of November through May, and not during June through October to reflect the likely peak demands. The Civil Infrastructure, on site roads etc will be designed to have a minimum working life of 30 years.

The plant will consist of two gas turbines, primarily fuelled by gas, complete with associated HRSG and a single steam turbine. The thermal input of the proposed plant will be approximately 790 MWth. Approximately 63 per cent of the 370 MWe power generated at the station will be produced by the gas turbines with the steam turbine providing the remaining 37 per cent. The development of the project will be such that the plant may operate in open cycle (OCGT) mode to provide electricity to NEPCO whilst the HRSGs and steam turbine is being installed. This will be subject to minor changes through out the design process. A preliminary layout of the plant is shown in Figure 2.1.

Natural gas will be burnt in the combustion chamber of the gas turbine from where the hot gases expand through the gas turbine to generate electricity. The hot exhaust gases are then used in the HRSG to generate steam, which in turn is used to generate electricity via the steam turbine.

The spent steam leaving the steam turbine plant will pass to a condenser where it will be condensed. The resultant condensate will be returned to the HRSGs for reuse. The condenser will be cooled by an air cooled system helping to reduce the plants water consumption. The air cooled condensers will act in a similar manner to a car radiator.

Figure 5.1 shows a schematic representation of the combined cycle gas turbine principle.



FIGURE 5.1: Schematic Diagram

Each gas turbine will comprise an inlet air filter, an air compressor, combustion chamber, power turbine and exhaust silencer.

The flue gases from each CCGT module will be discharged to a single 45 m stack. Flue gases emitted during open cycle operation will be emitted through a separate bypass stack system, which will also measure 45 m. During normal operation the CCGT plant will operate as a combined cycle plant, it will however, be equipped bypass stacks and associated exhaust gas dampers (and/or blanking plates) to allow for generation in open cycle mode. This will allow the plant to operate in the event of an unforeseen prolonged outage of the HRSG(s) or the steam turbine helping to increase the availability of the plant and also whilst the HRSGs and steam turbine are being installed.

An emergency/’black start’ diesel generator will be installed to provide emergency back-up and enable the plant to be started in case of total grid loss of electricity thereby helping to restore the grid. The black start will also allow the plant to shut down in a safe manner in the event of loss of electricity from the grid. It is expected that this engine will mostly be operated for testing purposes.

The electricity generated by the Project will be exported to the Jordanian national grid network via a 400 kV substation that will be constructed, owned, and operated by the Jordan National Electric Company ‘NEPCO’ and located adjacent to the Project Site. All the power generated by the Facility shall be sold to NEPCO.

The plant will include equipment necessary to receive power from NEPCO’s 400 kV HV substation and transform it to the voltage required by the station for start-up of the gas turbines and other needs.



Lubricating oil will be supplied to the gas and steam turbine and generator bearings and will also be supplied for the turbine control and hydraulic oil systems.

The HRSG will be of the unfired multi-pressure type and may use assisted or natural circulation.

The steam turbine system will comprise of a steam turbine, condensers and condensate extraction pumps and air extraction facilities.

A recirculating cooling water system will cool the condenser, whereby the closed circuit cooling water is in turn, cooled by the air cooled condensers. The air cooled condensers will be designed to ensure that noise levels at nearby receptors are within the limits imposed by the Jordanian legislation and World Bank guidance.

The gas and steam turbines will be enclosed in a steel framed building to mitigate noise levels emanating from the site.

It is proposed that the gas turbines chosen for the proposed plant will be equipped with the proven pollution control technology, which will limit the production of NOx to a maximum of 125 mg/Nm3 during gas firing and a maximum of 165 mg/Nm3 during oil firing at full loads. The technology for controlling NOx emissions is known as the dry low NOx system, limits emissions of NOx to atmosphere. This technique represents the Best Available Technique (BAT) for limiting emissions of NOx to atmosphere from gas turbines. Natural gas is a clean fuel and does not produce the particulate emissions associated with burning coal; consequently flue gas cleaning equipment is not required.

Stack emissions will be monitored continuously for NOx, O2 and CO. Emissions of SO2 will be calculated from the sulphur content of the fuel as unlike the emissions of CO and NOx emissions of SO2 directly correspond with the sulphur present in the fuel supply.


The raw water will be treated and demineralized on site in an on site water treatment plant. The effluent from the water treatment plant will contain salts removed from the raw water, which will provide the make-up to the water treatment plant, and also some additional sodium sulphate produced by neutralization of the spent regenerants.

Water supplies will be required for make-up water for the closed cooling system and the boiler feed water system as well as for service waters (drinking and washing water etc). A water treatment plant will be used to treat the water required for use in the heat recovery steam generator.

The water treatment plant will consist of the following: a raw water tank, treated water (demin) storage tanks with a combined capacity of 2000 m3, sand filters, active carbon filters, ion exchange streams, an acid storage tank, a caustic storage tank, an automatic effluent neutralizing system, a control panel and all interconnecting pipe work. The water used for boiler make up will be treated in mixed bed units before being used in the boilers.



The treatment process to be used involves sand filters, active carbon filters prior to reverse osmosis followed by the exchanging of cations in the supply (calcium, magnesium, sodium, etc) for hydrogen ions by using cation exchange resins and then exchanging the anions in the decationized water (sulphate, chloride, carbonate, silicate, etc) for hydroxyl ions by using anion exchange resins. When the resins are exhausted the resin beds are backwashed, regenerated with dilute acid (for the cation resin) and with dilute caustic soda (for the anion resin), rinsed to remove any excess regenerant and returned to service.

The effluent discharged from the project will comprise the effluent from the water treatment plant and blowdown. These effluents will be treated in the effluent treatment plant prior to discharge to an on site evaporation pond. The treatment of effluent will include cooling, neutralization to adjust pH, coagulation, settling and clarification prior to discharge to evaporation pond. The sludge will be collected to the sludge pond which will be disposed of by truck at an approved disposal site.

Small quantities of boiler water (boiler blowdown) will be discharged to avoid the build-up of impurities. This effluent will be virtually pure water, containing very small quantities of various chemicals that are used to prevent corrosion and scaling in the boiler. Boiler blowdown will be re-used where possible such as plant internal irrigation.

The plant will include adequate sanitary facilities to treat sanitary sewage prior to disposal of in the on site evaporation pond. Sludge will be removed from the sludge collection pond by road tanker and disposed of at an appropriate disposal site.

The plant will be supplied with a raw water storage facility with a total capacity equal to seven days of maximum water consumption by the plant plus fire water storage required to meet the NFPA and Jordan Fire Department and the local fire code requirements. The fire water storage tank will be installed with fire pumps, hose reels, fire hydrants and portable extinguishers as necessary.

Total permitted annual water consumption by the plant will not exceed 91 250 t/yr however actual use will likely prove to be less than this amount.

Figures summarizing the expected mass flows for the plant are shown in Figure 5.2 and Figure 5.3 for natural gas and DFO firing respectively.



Natural Gas

Gas Turbine Plant

HRSG

On site electrical use and parasitic

lossesAir Intake

16.6 kg/s (769 MW)

640 kg/s

656.6 kg/s (529 MW)

Demin water 2.5 kg/s

240 MW

Flue gas to atmosphere

Steam Turbine Plant

656.6 kg/s(84 MW)

139 kg/s(445 MW)

Air Cooled Condenser

139 kg/s(305 MW)

140 MW

Boiler Blowdown2.5 kg/s1 MW

10 MW

Exported electricity370 MW

Electricity Generated

Miscellaneous losses to

atmosphere139 kg/s 304 MW

FIGURE 5.2: Mass Flow During Natural Gas Firing



Distillate Fuel Oil

Gas Turbine Plant

HRSG

On site electrical use and parasitic

lossesAir Intake

17.1 kg/s (734 MW)

542 kg/s

559.1 kg/s (507 MW)

Water 2.5 kg/s

227 MW

Flue gas to atmosphere

Steam Turbine Plant

559.1 kg/s(119 MW)

139 kg/s(388 MW)

Air Cooled Condenser

139 kg/s(262 MW)

126 MW

Boiler Blowdown2.5 kg/s1 MW

11 MW

Exported electricity342 MW

Electricity Generated

Miscellaneous losses to

atmosphere261 MW139 kg/s

FIGURE 5.3: Mass Flow During DFO Firing

Storage for chemicals will be provided in appropriately bunded and secure areas.

Transformers will be provided for plant electrical supplies. All transformers will be oil filled and each transformer will be provided with a containment bund that will contain all the transformer oil in the event of a spillage. Pumps will drain these sumps to an oil separator which in turn will discharge to the site drainage system. The sumps will be installed with high level alarms to avoid overflow.

The remainder of the plant will consist of air compressing equipment, a gas pressure reduction station, electrical switchgear and control equipment. Control facilities will be provided, as well fire fighting services (see Section 3.5 for further details).

The compressed air system will be provided to compress and deliver air of a quantity and quality suitable for all general, instrument and control purposes at all appropriate points in the plant.



Process parameters will be continuously recorded to ensure correct and efficient operation of the plant. Any significant deviations will be alarmed and corrections carried out on occurrence. Records will be maintained of performance and deviation.

The plant will be designed with a view to high levels of automatic operation with minimum operator intervention. Full facilities for interfacing information, control and alarm systems will be installed so that the plant can be operated from the existing central control room. The operating system will include monitoring alarms and trending information from the process monitoring systems and a continuous emissions monitoring system (for emissions to air). Any significant deviations will be alarmed and corrections carried out on occurrence. Records of performance and deviation shall be maintained.

In the event of a gas turbine or boiler trip the plant will shut down. In the event of a steam turbine trip all affected gas turbines will shut down in an orderly manner.

The design of buildings, enclosures and plant will also minimize regular and long term maintenance. Sufficient spares will be held on site to ensure reliable operation of the plant. Materials and finishes will be selected to meet this objective and to ensure that the appearance of the plant does not deteriorate with time.

Major plant maintenance shut downs will be planned on a long-term basis with intermediate stoppages being infrequent and of short duration only.

A feature of the gas turbine technology, on which the proposed power station is based, is that the discharges to the land are minimal and would be restricted to the following:

• used gas turbine air intake filters (typically replaced annually);

• used ion exchange resins (typically replaced at 5 year intervals);

• separated oil/sludge from oil/water separators;

• used oil or chemical containers;

• general office waste.

These wastes would be returned to the original supplier where possible or removed by an appropriate licensed contractor for disposal in an appropriate manner.

5.1.1 Fuel

The principle fuel will be natural gas. DFO will be used at times of interruption to the natural gas supply. The DFO will have a sulphur content of less than 1.2 per cent by weight.

The plant will, during normal operation fire on natural gas that will be supplied via a dedicated gas pipeline that will tee in to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan. The gas pipeline will be installed owned and operated by Fajer Gas Company (FGC) who will



be responsible for installation of the pipeline from the main gas pipeline to the site boundary approximately 800 m to the west. FGC will sell gas to NEPCO who will be the supplier of natural gas to the proposed CCGT.

The expected quality of the natural gas will be as per Table 5.1 and will be supplied to a flanged terminal point, at a pressure in the range of 40-60 bar(g). There will be gas pressure reduction facilities on the site to regulate the pressure of the incoming gas supply to that required by the gas turbines. Natural gas consumption is not predicted to exceed 500 000 t/yr.

TABLE 5.1 NATURAL GAS SPECIFICATION

Component Specification Minimum/maximum

H2S Content ppm (by volume) 8 Maximum

Total sulphur content mg/SCM 150 Maximum

Marcaptan sulphur mg/SCM 15 Maximum

Carbon dioxide mol % 3 Maximum

Water dew point °C @70 bara -5 Maximum

Hydrocarbon dew point °C @ (any pressure) (0 Maximum

Gross heating value BTU/SCF 980 Minimum

BTU/SCF 1180 Maximum

Individual trace metal ppm (by weight) 1 Maximum

Mercury µg/m3 30 Maximum

Specific gravity 0.57 Minimum

0.65 Maximum

Delivery temperature °C (@ 40 bar(g)) 8 Minimum

Delivery pressure bar(g) 40 Minimum

bar(g) 60 Maximum

Notes: 1) Gas is to be commercially free of sand, dust, gums and oils. 2) Any other constituents have a rare present ratio could be analyzed under request. 3) The mentioned characteristics demonstrate both the minimum and maximum limits for delivered gas constituents at delivery point.

With the exception of temperature, pressure regulation and filtration the natural gas will not be treated on site. Natural gas will not be stored on the site.

During times of interruption to the natural gas supply the plant will operate on distillate fuel oil (DFO) which will be stored on site in 2 x 13 500 m3 storage tanks of suitable size to allow for fourteen days operation. DFO will be supplied by, or on behalf of, NEPCO. DFO will be delivered to the site by truck by, or on behalf of, NEPCO. There will be 3 DFO unloading pumps (each 2 × 100 per cent



allowing for simultaneous unloading by 6 road tankers. DFO is pumped directly to the DFO storage tanks. Annual consumption of DFO is not likely to exceed 21 000 t/yr though this will depend on the number of day interruptions to the natural gas supply to the site. An expected DFO composition is provided in Table 5.2 and Table 5.3.

TABLE 5.2 DFO SPECIFICATION

Tests Specification Minimum/maximum

Distillation

90% recovered @ °C 357 Max.

Density @15oC gm/ml. 0.820-0.870 (range)

Colour ASTM 2.5 Max.

Total Sulphur %wt. 1.2 Max.

Flash point (Pensky-Martens) oC 50 Min.

Viscosity red wood at 100 Of sec. 45 Max.

Pour point

Summer °C +5 Max.

Winter °C -9 Max.

Corrosion, copper, classification No. 1 Strip

Carbon residue on 10% residue %wt. 0.1 Max.

Total acid number mg. KOH/gr. 1.0 Max.

Strong acid number mg. KOH/gr. NIL

Ash %wt. 0.01 Max.

Water by distillation % vol. 0.05 Max

Sediment by extraction %wt. 0.01 Max.

Diesel index 46 Min



TABLE 5.3 DISTILLATE FUEL SPECIFICATIONS

Property Specification

Calorific value gross J/g 45580

Calorific value net J/g 42819

Kinematic viscosity @ 40°C Cst 3.7

Specific gravity@ 15°C gm/ml 0.835

Flash point (Pensky-Martens) °C 65

Pour point °C -12

Ash content % wt <0.001

Sulphur content total % wt 1.2

Water and sediment (centrifuge) % vol. <0.01

Water by distillation % vol. <0.01

Heavy metals

Vanadium ppm 0.20

Sodium ppm 0.00

Calcium ppm 0.03

Lead ppm 0.80

The black start diesel will be operated on DFO.

5.1.2 Plant layout

The proposed Amman East CCGT layout has been designed taking the following factors into consideration:

• road access;

• connection to transmission network;

• provisions to minimize noise and visual impact;

• compliance with regulatory requirements;

• plant and personnel safety; and

• technical requirements.

A possible layout of Amman East CCGT is shown in Figure 2.1. The layout will be subject to some changes as the design process is completed.



The main gas turbines, the steam turbine and the HRSGs will be located towards the central part of the site, with an east-west orientation. The stacks will be situated adjacent to the HRSGs associated with each CCGT unit on the western side of the site. The bypass stack will be located between the HRSG and gas turbine units.

The ACCs will be located close to the steam turbine on the southern edge of the site to allow for an appropriate air flow to the condenser intakes.

New on-site roads and paved areas will be provided as required. Access to the site will be achieved via a new access to the Zarqa to Sahab road, which is located immediately to the north of the project site.

The 2 main CCGT stacks will be 45 m high as will the bypass stacks.

A security fence will be constructed around the site for security reasons and the site will be fitted with closed circuit television.

Additional car parking space will be provided close to the site access from the Zarqa to Sahab road.

5.1.3 Storage

Up to 30 tonnes of 33 per cent hydrochloric acid (HCl) will be stored on site in a single tank within an impermeable bund. The acid will be used for the regeneration of the cation exchange units of the water treatment plant. About 24 kg/week of HCl will be required by the plant. In the event of leakage of the tank HCl solution will drain to the impermeable bund which will then be pumped out to a road tanker and the HCl disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner. If such facilities are not available the HCl solution will be neutralized within the impermeable bund and then discharged to the evaporation pond.

Up to 30 tonnes of 46 per cent caustic soda (NaOH) will also be stored in a single heated tank within an impermeable bund. The caustic soda will be used for regeneration of the water treatment plant anion exchange units. About 9 kg/week of NaOH will be required by the plant. In the event of leakage of the tank NaOH solution will drain to the impermeable bund which will then be pumped out to a road tanker and the NaOH disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner. If such facilities are not available the NaOH solution will be neutralized within the impermeable bund and then discharged to the evaporation pond.

Lubricating oils will be stored on the site within steel tanks in an impermeable bund. The oils are used to lubricate the gas and steam turbines. Used lubricating oils will also be stored temporarily on the site till these are disposed of off-site by an approved contractor in accordance with applicable regulations.

Transformer oil will be free of PCBs.

Storage facilities will also be provided for the small quantities of tri sodium phosphate, carbohydrazide, ammonia and other chemicals used in boiler water dosing. All such chemicals will be



retained in suitable containment areas. Approximately 17.8 mg/sec sodium phosphate and 1.39 mg/sec each of ammonia and carbohydrazide will be used by the plant. The boiler dosing chemicals and dosing systems will be shielded from the atmosphere. Vapour discharged from the ammonia and oxygen scavenger dosing and dilution tanks will pass through a device such as a common water seal and an active carbon filter to avoid the uncontrolled release of these chemicals to the atmosphere.

The chemical unloading bay will adjoin the water treatment plant building. The hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide used for regeneration of the spent resins will be supplied in road tankers. The tankers will be connected by flexible hoses to the discharge lines in the unloading facility between the unloading bay and the water treatment plant building. The chemicals will be pumped directly into the storage tanks in the chemical storage area.

DFO will be stored on site in two tanks with a combined capacity of 27 000 m3, sufficient to provide for 14 days uninterrupted operation. These tanks will be surrounded by an appropriately sized bund. The DFO tank vents will be fitted with activated carbon filters.

Miscellaneous materials such as oils, greases, cleaning substances and materials, laboratory chemicals etc, will be stored in suitable storage conditions or containers on site.

5.2 Safety and emergency plans

The hazards associated with combined cycle gas turbines have been studied over many years and a considerable volume of design and procedural experience has built up in this area.

The design of the project will incorporate all the features needed to comply with relevant safety regulations.

Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area. These will include fixed water and foam protection systems, fire alarms, portable appliances, etc.

A comprehensive fire protection system will be installed to cover equipment on site, which could constitute a significant fire risk. For the protection of equipment within the gas turbine package, where water or foam spray would cause damage, a total flood carbon dioxide system will be used. An automatic foam spray system for the protection of the DFO storage tanks, turbine lubricating oil tank, fuel handling areas and associated pipe work will also be provided. Heat sensors or smoke detectors will be used in conjunction with automatic spray nozzles. Non-combustible and fire resistant building materials will be utilized. Continuous natural gas monitoring systems will be provided. Venting systems will be designed to prevent explosion of air/gas accumulations. Ignition sources will be protected from damage. Testing of fire protection systems will be carried out as appropriate.

The plant will employ the standard mechanical and electrical protective devices, including emergency relief valves, shut down sequence controls, safety interlocks, fault detection and alarm systems. There will be back up systems and protective measures to deal with emergency situations such as electrical power failure, water supply failure, compressed air failure, major equipment failure and lightning strikes.



There will be no drains within the bunds and all valves and couplings will be within the bunded area. In the event of leakage or spillage from any oil storage tank any oil will be contained within the bund surrounding the tank. Any oil found in the bund will be removed for disposal to a licensed site.

Access to the site will be strictly controlled. Site security will be achieved by providing suitable fencing to the site perimeter and cameras.

An oil spill or chemical spill is recognized as being the principal environmental emergency that could arise at the station. Emergency response plans will be developed as follows for both construction and operation periods:

• emergency procedures for sulphuric acid tanks

• emergency procedures for hydrochloric acid tanks

• emergency procedures for caustic soda (sodium hydroxide solution) tanks

• emergency procedures for carbohydrazide tanks

• emergency procedures in the event of a spill of DFO or lubricating oil.

There are no processes involving the storage or handling of hazardous substances on site.

In addition there will be no emergency situations at the Amman East CCGT plant that could compromise the safety of the public in the vicinity of the site.

5.3 The gas pipeline

The Amman East CCGT plant will, during normal operation fire on natural gas that will be supplied via a dedicated gas pipeline that will tee in to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan. The gas pipeline will be installed owned and operated by Fajer Gas Company (FGC) who will be responsible for installation of the pipeline from the main gas pipeline to the site boundary approximately 800 m to the west. FGC will sell gas to NEPCO who will be the supplier of Natural Gas to the proposed CCGT.

The pipeline to which the project connects is located some 800 m from the project site but will due to wayleaves have a length of some 1.7 km. There are two route alternatives to install the pipeline. The first route is through the agriculture lands with the second being for the line to run alongside the existing road to the north of the site. The road corridors are owned by the Government removing the need for compensation or compulsory purchase for local peoples of land. Routing the pipeline along the road is therefore the preferred option. The route of the pipeline is shown in Appendix K.

FGC are responsible for all works associated with the installation of the 1700 m pipeline and will be responsible for its operation, and maintenance over the course of the lifetime of the Amman East CCGT.



FGC will bare all responsibility for the agreement of all way leaves, permits and consents and will bare full legal responsibility for the project.

FGC are obliged to install the pipeline under the terms and conditions of the agreement between AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co and the Ministry of Energy.

The facilities at the point of connection will likely include automatic isolating valves and pressure control facilities. The facilities at the power station will include metering, pressure control and automatic isolation valves. Gas will be supplied to a flanged terminal point, at a pressure in the range of 40 - 60 bar(g).

The pipeline will likely be made from carbon steel pipe and will be buried to a depth such that the top of the pipeline is at least 1 m below ground level.

5.4 The water pipeline

The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) will supply drinking quality water and raw water for all the Amman East plants needs through an new water pipeline. The pipeline will be owned and operated by WAJ and the construction of this is neither the responsibility or subject to the influence of the AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co.

The pipeline will be directly connected in to the national water network and will not include the removal of local ground water etc.

The proposed water pipeline linking the proposed Amman East CCGT to the will be approximately 18 km in length, the route of which will be decided by WAJ. The location of the proposed power station relative to the centres of water use and infrastructure suggest that the line will likely approach the site from the west.

The pipeline may or may not be the subject of environmental studies the need for which will be decided by the Ministry of Environment. The undertaking of any such environmental studies will be the full responsibility of WAJ.

It is expected that WAJ will need to undertake a detailed route selection study as part of the studies for the proposed pipeline. The primary aim of pipeline design and routing is to ensure the safety of the public, minimize the environmental impact and prevent any release of water from the pipeline.

The pipeline will likely be made of a steel pipe and will be buried to a depth such that the top of the pipeline is an appropriate depth below ground level.

The pipeline will run adjacent to the existing roads. The road corridors are owned by the Government removing the need for compensation or compulsory purchase for local peoples of land. Routing the pipeline along the road is therefore the preferred option. The route of the pipeline is shown in Appendix L.



WAJ are responsible for all works associated with the installation of the pipeline and will be responsible for its operation, and maintenance over the course of the lifetime of the Amman East CCGT.

WAJ will bare all responsibility for the agreement of all way leaves, permits and consents and will bare full legal responsibility for the project.

WAJ are obliged to install the pipeline under the terms and conditions of the agreement between AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co and the Ministry of Energy.

5.5 The overhead transmission line and substation

This project will be link in to the national 400 kV transmission system, which connects the electrical network of Jordan with the electrical networks of Egypt and Syria. At present, double circuit 400 kV transmission lines connect Aqaba, Amman South, Amman North, Qatrana and Samra 400 kV substations.

The transmission line will connect the proposed Amman East 400 kV AIS substation to the existing 400 kV network at Amman North and Amman South 400 kV substation via a double circuit overhead transmission line, which will result in reinforcing the Jordanian electricity network

The preferred route of the overhead transmission line passes through the territories of Abo Alanda Al-Sharki, Al-Baidaa village, and finally between Al-Baidaa village and Al-Maddona area before reaching the substation in Al-Manakher village. The line will traverse mainly arid land with small agricultural field structures and passes by near small rural communities (near Al-Baidaa village).

The total length of the new transmission lines will be about 16 km requiring 30 transmission towers. All towers shall be lattice steel and self supporting carrying a double circuit overhead line. The towers will be sized and positioned so as to guarantee an appropriate ground clearance for the overhead lines.

The substation will be an AIS 400 KV outdoor substation and will contain eight bays (double busbar) comprising three generator transformer circuit bays, four overhead transmission line circuit bays designated for export to the Amman North 1 and 2 and Amman South 1 and 2 substations.

Further information on the tower and line design and substation is provided in the ESIA for the transmission line and substation included in Appendix M.

5.6 Construction of the plant

The construction contractor will be required to prepare and implement a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). This Plan will identify the mitigating measures and management procedures that will be put in place to adequately control the environmental impacts of the construction stage, incorporating the relevant sections in this document and the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plant (EMMP) provided in Section 8.



5.6.1 Site preparation

Studies examining soil composition and contamination will be undertaken by the construction contractors, using the results of site investigations carried out during the development phase of the project as a starting point.

Excavations will be required to construct foundations, culverts, buried services and basement structures. Excavation activities create the potential risk of disturbing and hence releasing contaminants into the surrounding environment. In addition it will be necessary to undertake piling for some of the foundations where the heavier plant equipment will be located.

The major activities during the construction phase of the project include, for the civil works:

• preparation of site works

• construction of foundations

• construction of buildings.

Site preparation work will comprise the levelling of the site, earthworks, and the excavations for foundations. Trenching, installation of underground services and provision of temporary construction facilities and services will then take place.

It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to notify the Department of Antiquities representative if antiquities are encountered in any stage during construction.

It is likely that piling will be required for the HRSG, gas turbine, steam turbine, and generator foundations due to the heavy loading and the tight tolerance on settlement. The remaining foundations, for the turbine building, skids, pumps, water treatment package and the like, shall be spread footings and slabs of various thickness to suit the structural needs.

An area for the laydown and storage of plant and equipment will be located on an area within the site landholding for the duration of the construction period. This area will be available for any fabrication that may be necessary for construction works. An area will also be set aside for car parking and office accommodation. All necessary measures will be taken to return the laydown and car parking areas to their previous state, on completion of the construction phase.

The programme for the mechanical and electrical plant can be considered in terms of the following activities:

1. steam turbine and HRSG manufacture

2. gas turbine manufacture

3. gas turbine plant installation

4. gas turbine plant commissioning



5. HRSG installation

6. HRSG commissioning

7. plant take-over

8. power plant commercial operation

9. guarantee period.

The construction period will be of 28 months duration, including commissioning.

Commissioning of each gas turbine Unit will take of the order of 16 weeks and will be progressive from final erection checks, pre-commissioning and setting to work of individual component parts through to the overall testing to prove the technical acceptance of the plant. Tests on completion will demonstrate the fitness for purpose of the plant prior to commercial operation. Performance tests will demonstrate that the plant complies with the performance guarantees. Reliability will be demonstrated by operating the plant under commercial conditions for a period without major repair to any item of plant or equipment.

Construction of the new plant is expected to commence in February 2007. The construction workforce will likely peak at about 1,000 with an average of between 600–700. The target date for simple (open) cycle operation is June 2008 and full combined cycle operation is June 2009. Operational staff for the new plant will be of the order of 40-50 permanent personnel.

5.7 Decommissioning

At the end of the useful life of the power station, in approximately 30 years, the plant will be decommissioned in accordance with legislative guidelines current at that time. Alternatively, if market conditions and/or electricity supply constraints at that time indicate that it would be appropriate to extend the life of the plant, then decommissioning may be deferred to a later date. In order to ensure continuing adequate plant conditions and environmental performance, the plant would be re-engineered and re-permitted as required, dependent of the legislative requirements at that time.

Independently validated plant closure/demolition methodologies have been developed for power plants that are at the end of their useful life. The methodology covers demolition of the plant and buildings and removal of any contaminated and hazardous material from the site. When demolishing the power plant, it will be a matter of policy to ensure that the site is left with no environmental risks.

In order to facilitate decommissioning much of the plant on site will be made of materials suitable for recycling. In addition a large proportion of the buildings will be constructed of pre-fabricated steel and will therefore also be of interest to a scrap metal merchant. After the removal of the main items of plant and steel buildings the remaining buildings will be demolished to ground level. All underground structures will either be removed or made safe. All debris to be removed offsite will be sent to a licensed disposal facility.

The decommissioning phase is likely to take place over several months.



The results of the pre-construction contaminated land survey will be used as a basis for a further contaminated land survey to be performed when the plant is closed to assess whether or not any contamination of the site has taken place during the lifetime of the plant. The site will be returned to a condition suitable for reuse.

A full environmental departure audit will be carried out. This will examine, in detail, all potential environmental risks existing at the site and make comprehensive recommendations for remedial action to remove such risks. Following completion of the demolition, a final audit will be carried out to ensure that all remedial work has been completed. The audit reports will be made available to future users of the site.

During decommissioning all reasonable measures required to prevent any future pollution of the site will be carried out. This will include measures such as:

• the emptying/cleaning and removal of storage tanks

• the removal from site of all materials/liquids liable to cause contamination.

The surface water drainage system for plant will continue to operate through the decommissioning phase. Any areas where oil spillage could occur will continue to drain to an oil interceptor, which will continue to be maintained.

The sites subsequent use would be discussed with the relevant authorities as part of the decommissioning process.



6. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE

This section discusses the existing environmental and social baseline within the study area of the environmental and social impact assessment undertaken for the proposed Amman East IPP project.

The environmental baseline associated with the transmission line route corridor and substation are detailed in the ESIA prepared for those projects on behalf of NEPCO. This document is provided as Appendix M.

6.1 Air Quality

The plant will be required to comply with all applicable Jordanian and World Bank ambient air quality standards. The Jordanian standards that are considered to be applicable to the plant are detailed in Jordanian Standard (1140/1999) and are shown in Table 6.1.

TABLE 6.1 JORDANIAN EMISSION STANDARDS FOR AMBIENT AIR QUALITY

(1140/1999)

Pollutant Averaging period Maximum limit Number of exceedences

1 hour 0.3 ppm (786 µg/m

3) 3 times during any 30 successive days in the year

24 hours 0.14 ppm (370 µg/m

3) Once during any 12 months SO2

Annually 0.04 ppm (114 µg/m

3)

1 hour 26 ppm (30160 µg/m


CO 8 hours 9 ppm

(10440 µg/m3)

3 times during any 30 successive days in the year

24 hours 260 mg/Nm3 3 times during any 12 months TSP Annually 75 mg/Nm3

geometrical average

1 hour 0.21 ppm (400 µg/m


24 hours 0.08 ppm (150 µg/m

3) 3 times during any 30 successive days in the year NO2

Annually 0.05 ppm (95 µg/m

3)

24 hours 120 mg/Nm3 3 times during any 30 successive days in the year PM10

Annually 70 mg/Nm3



In addition as a Banks financed project the Amman East CCGT will be required to meet the emissions guidelines of the World Bank as specified in the 1998 Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook. These are shown in Table 6.2.

TABLE 6.2 WORLD BANK AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

FOR NEW THERMAL POWER PLANT

Parameter Reference period Ground level concentration limit values

(μg/m3)

24 hourly 150 Nitrogen dioxide

Annual 100

24 hourly 125 Sulphur dioxide

Annual 80

24 hourly 70 Particulates

Annual 50

The ESIA has considered the harshest limits where the Jordanian and World Bank limits overlap.

6.1.1 Ambient air quality

As part of the site identification studies for the Amman East CCGT the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) commissioned a study by the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) of air quality in the vicinity of the Amman East site for a one year period.

Air quality was monitored at two locations one at Al-Manakher Primary School to represent the project site and a second in the eastern part of the village, chosen to represent residential areas. Both monitoring stations recorded data on the observed levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) total suspended particulates (TSP) and particulate measuring less than 10 microns (PM10). Monitoring was undertaken form June 2005 to June 2006. Of these only NO2, SO2, CO and PM10 are relevant to the day to day operation of the plant as it will not emit H2S or give rise to significant emissions of TSP during operation on either natural gas or DFO.

The monitoring stations at the Al-Manakher Primary School was a fixed location monitor while the other monitor was a mobile unit. The sampling principles and modes of operation are outlined in Table 6.3.



TABLE 6.3 SAMPLING PRINCIPLES AND MODES OF OPERATION

Parameter Monitoring technique Mode of operation

Sulphur Dioxide Ultra violet florescence Continuous

Hydrogen Sulphide Ultra violet florescence Continuous

Nitrogen Oxides Chemiluminescence Continuous

Carbon Monoxide Non Dispersive Infrared (NIDR) Continuous

Total suspended particulates High volume sampling gravimetric

24 hour sample

Particulate measuring less than 10 microns (fixed station)

High volume sampling, with PM10 selective inlet, gravimetric

24 hour sample

Particulate measuring less than 10 microns (mobile station)

Beta attenuation Continuous

The study found that air quality in the vicinity of the proposed plant was good. Low air pollution levels were obtained throughout the majority of the monitoring exercise. The monitoring did identify exceedences of the Jordanian air quality limits on a few occasions of a number of the pollutants monitored. This was however considered to be attributable to sources local to the monitoring stations, for example traffic, and was not considered to present a significant issue.

The monitoring undertaken for the study showed that there were no exceedences to the Jordanian standards for SO2. At the school the maximum daily and hourly averages were 0.017 ppm and 0.069 ppm respectively, well below the limits of 0.3 ppm and 0.14 ppm.

Monitoring of H2S showed five exceedences of the 24 hour limit with 37 exceedences of the 1 hour limit at the school. This was in compliance with the Jordanian limits as no three or more exceedences occurred during 30 consecutive days.

Low NO, NO2, and NOx levels for the 24 hour averaging period were recorded in the study which were 0.101 ppm, 0.071 ppm and 0.070 ppm respectively. Hourly maximum were 1.975 ppm, 1.476 ppm and 0.498 ppm at the school with the NO2 maximum recorded representing an exceedence of the Jordanian limit of 0.21 ppm. This result was not replicated in any of the monitoring at the other monitoring location and is likely the result of a highly localized source of NO2.

The levels of CO recorded were low with the maximum 1 and 8 hour average concentrations being 3.55 ppm and 3.38 ppm respectively representing a fraction of the allowed limits of 26 ppm and 9 ppm.



Dust levels recorded showed four exceedences to the TSP limit of 260 μg/m3. PM10 results showed five exceedences of the 24 hour limit at the school site and six exceedences at the Al-Manakher village site.

The principle sources of pollution in the area are highway to the north of the site and the local roads in Al-Manakher village. There is no industrial activity of note in the area with the nearest industrial site being located at the King Abdullah Industrial Estate in Sahab some 6 km to the southeast. In addition the site is elevated and open with large areas of loose soils with the potential to lead to significant levels of dust creation.

The results of the monitoring exercise are presented in Table 6.4.



TABLE 6.4 RESULTS OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING

Site

Mea

sure

men

t pe

riod

Pollu

tant

Max

dai

ly

ave

rage

No.

of d

aily

av

erag

e ex

ceed

ence

s

Dai

ly

exce

eden

ces

perc

enta

ge

(%)

Max

hou

rly

aver

age

No.

of h

ourly

ex

ceed

ence

s

Hou

rly

exce

eden

ces

perc

enta

ge

(%)

Max

8-h

our

aver

age

SO2 0.017 ppm 0 0.0 0.069 ppm 0 0.0

H2S 0.017 ppm 5 1.5 0.090 ppm 37 0.5

NO 0.071 ppm 1.476 ppm

NO2 0.070 ppm 0 0.0 0.498 ppm 2 0.04

NOx 0.101 ppm 1.975 ppm

PM10 189 μg/m3 5 10.4

Proj

ect S

ite

June

200

5 –

June

200

6

TSP 313 μg/m3 4 7.7

SO2 0.003 ppm 0 0.0 0.017 ppm 0 0.0

NO 0.013 ppm 0.187 ppm

NO2 0.021 ppm 0 0.0 0.098 ppm 0 0.0

NOx 0.028 ppm 0.194 ppm

CO 1.60 ppm 0 0.0 1.25 ppm Aug

ust 2

005

PM10 113 μg/m3 0 0.0

SO2 0.004 ppm 0 0.0 0.018 ppm 0 0.0

NO 0.024 ppm 0.349 ppm

NO2 0.004 ppm 0 0.0 0.089 ppm 0 0.0

NOx 0.028 ppm 0.438 ppm

CO 2.60 ppm 0 0.0 2.13 ppm Dec

embe

r 200

5

PM10 161 μg/m3 2 7.4

SO2 0.001 ppm 0 0.0 0.005 ppm 0 0.0

NO 0.012 ppm 0.042 ppm

NO2 0.003 ppm 0 0.0 0.047 ppm 0 0.0

NOx 0.014 ppm 0.086 ppm

CO 3.5 ppm 0 0.0 2.86 ppm

Janu

ary

– Fe

brua

ry 2

006

PM10 339 μg/m3 4 12.1

SO2 0.002 ppm 0 0.0 0.014 ppm 0 0.0

NO 0.011 ppm 0.052 ppm

NO2 0.002 ppm 0 0.0 0.008 ppm 0 0.0

NOx 0.013 ppm 0.053 ppm

CO 3.55 ppm 0 0.0 3.38 ppm

The

dow

nwin

d si

te

Apr

il 20

05

PM10 84 μg/m3 2 7.4



6.2 Water quality

The proposed site is located within the Amman Governorate in the central parts of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, near the village of Al Al-Manakher. The is situated within in the most important and the largest ground water basin in Jordan (Amman- Zerqa Basin) which supplies water to the cities of Amman, Zerqa, and their surrounding areas. The local topography is shown in Figure 6.1.

The Amman-Zarqa basin in which the site is located has a predominantly Mediterranean type climate, characterized by hot dry summer and cool to cold rainy winters. As in most semi-arid areas, temperatures exhibit large seasonal and diurnal variation with daily temperatures may be exceeding 40ºC while in winter temperatures can drop at night to reach 0ºC.

The project area is affected by a dry wind in summer, which is from east to south east and south west direction, while in winter it is affected by a humid wind from west and south west.

Figure 6.1



Cold and warm fronts steered from depressions occurring over Cyprus cross Jordan in south westerly to north easterly direction, and cause rainfall in Jordan. In the warmer months, April, May and sometimes October, thunderstorm precipitation can occur. Total yearly rainfall over the project area according to data from Sahab rainfall station located some 8 km to the south-west of the site varies between 396.1 mm/year in the year 2000 to 52.9 mm/year in the year 1998. The annual average rainfall is summarized in Table 6.5.

TABLE 6.5 YEARLY RAINFALL OF SAHAB STATION FOR THE PERIOD

(1989/1990-2005/2006)

Station - Id Water - Year Yearly - Rain Yearly Av. Rain

CD0001 1989/1990 343.4 10.10

CD0001 1993/1994 196.9 9.38

CD0001 1994/1995 269.3 10.36

CD0001 1995/1996 238.6 10.37

CD0001 1996/1997 281.5 9.71

CD0001 1997/1998 260.7 9.66

CD0001 1998/1999 92 8.36

CD0001 1999/2000 52.9 3.31

CD0001 2000/2001 194.9 6.50

CD0001 2001/2002 258 9.56

CD0001 2002/2003 396.1 7.77

CD0001 2003/2004 206 6.24

CD0001 2004/2005 276.5 9.88

CD0001 2005/2006 196.8 6.56

6.2.1 Site geology

The geology of the area is dominated by sedimentary rocks related to Cretaceous age that subdivided in two main sequences, Lower and Upper Cretaceous rocks.

The Lower Cretaceous rocks are locally known as Kurnub, with the Upper Cretaceous are further subdivided into Ajlun and Belqa groups. In the project area the sedimentary (carbonate series) are the Balqa and the older Ajloun groups, from the upper cretaceous period. Figure 6.2 shows a Geological Map Figure 6.3 provides a Hydrological Map for the project area. This series consists of limestone, dolomatic limestone, marly limestone, chalky limestone.

6.2.1.1 Upper cretaceous rocks

The Upper Cretaceous rocks are the most abundant rocks exposed at the project site overlying the Lower Cretaceous rocks. The Upper Cretaceous is sub-divided in two groups, Ajlun and Belqa that are described below.



Ajlun group

This group represents all the marine sediments of the Cenomanian-Turonian age and consists of carbonate rocks, limestone, dolomite, marl, shale, chalk, and some time sand stone. The group reaches a maximum thickness of 500-550 meters, with the group thickness decreasing gradually north-wards, towards the river Zerqa and southwards towards Suweilih Flexure.

There are three principal formations of the Ajlun Group act as aquifers, these are the Naur (A1/2), Hummar (A4) and Wadi Sir (A7) formations, the other formations in the group are Shueib (A5/6) and Fuheis (A3) formation which are considered as aquitards.

Belqa group

This group represents all the sediments of the Paleocene- Eocene age and consists of chert, limestone, chalk, marl and marly limestone.

The younger Balqa group consists of five formations, W.Shallah (B5), Rijam (B4), Muwaqar (B3), Amman (B2), and W.Ghudran (B1).

These carbonate formations (of the Ajlun and Belqa groups) are classed as separate from each other based upon the presence of fossil records, the mineralogical composition of the limestone, and the presence of marl and chert. Table 6.6 shows the stereographical description of these two geological groups.

According to the Jordanian Geological Map the site is located within the out crops of (B3) formation that is considered as a confining bed protecting the aquifer in the project area from any possible pollution that may occur.

6.2.2 Groundwater aquifers systems

The basin consists of two main aquifers in the project area; the deep Hummer formation (A4) and the shallow complex consisting of Wadi Sir Amman silicifid unit (B2/A7). The basin is divided into two parts; an eastern part to north-east of Wadi Zarqa that flows to the west, and a western part extending to the west of Wadi Zarqa and that flows to the east.

The average renewable groundwater quantity in the basin is about 88 MCM/Year, of which about 35 MCM/Year return to the surface as base flow along Zarqa River the remaining 53 MCM/Year pumped through wells distributed over the basin area.

Figure 6.2

Figure 6.3



TABLE 6.6

SIMPLIFIED LITHO LOGICAL SUCCESSION FOR THE CENTRAL PARTS OF JORDAN

Era Period Epoch Series Formation Symbol Lithology

Quaternary Holocene Pleistocene

Alluvium

Fuviatile Lacst & Eolian

RC Soil, sand, gravel

Basalt Ba

Eocene W.Shallah (B5) B5 Limestone, chalk, marl

Rijam B4 Chert, limestone, chalk, marl

Muwaqar B3 Marly limestone P

aleo

gene

Paleocene

Amman B2 Chert, limestone, phosphate

CE

NO

ZOIC

Terti

ary

Meastrichtian Campanian Santonian

Balqa W.Ghudran B1

Chalk, marl, marly limestone

Wadi Sir A7 Limestone, dolomite, chert

Shuieb A5,6 Limestone, marly limestone

Hummar A4 Dolomite, dolomitic limestone

Fuheis

A3

Marl, marly limestone

Upp

er

Taronian Cenomanian

Ajloun

Naur A1,2 Limestone, dolomitic limestone

Albian Subeihi

K2

Sand and shale, Clay and sandy and Limestone

Cre

tace

ous

Low

er

Aptian Neocomian Berriasian

ME

SO

ZOIC

Jura

ssic

Tithomian Kimmeridgian Oxfordian

Kurnub Aarda K1 Sandstone

Marl and shale

The direct recharge to the basin comes from precipitation, floodwater flows and infiltration resulting from irrigation activities .The contribution of domestic, industrial and irrigation activities in groundwater recharge is estimated to be about 40 MCM/Year. The ground water quality in the basin is affected by various factors of such as over pumping, inflows of wastewater and leaching of solid wastes.



In the project area which is located within Amman-Zarqa basin there are two main aquifers; Wadi Sir-Amman aquifer (B2/A7) and Hummer aquifer (A4) which are related to the upper Cretaceous hydraulic system.

6.2.2.1 Upper cretaceous hydraulic aquifer

This complex consists of alternating sequences of limestone; dolomite, marlstones and chert beds. The total thickness of the complex in the central part reaches around 700 m. The lower portion is the Naur formation (A1/2) which consists of about 200 m of limestone and marls. It gives rise to relatively high permeability and in some areas forms a good potential aquifer.

An aquitard aquifer (A3) of 80 m thickness consisting of marl and shale overlies the Naur formation and separates it from Hummar formation (A4). The Hummar formation consists of semi crystalline limestone and hence it has very high permeability and porosity. This formation is confined by the overlying aquitard of the Shueib formation (A5/6). The Shueib formation consists of marls and limestone and is overlain by the aquifer of Wadi Sir Formation (A7) and Amman silicified formation (B2).

The unit (B2/A7) consists of limestone, chert-limestone, sandy limestone and marly limestone. The aquifer complex is overlain in the eastern desert by thick marl layer (B3) forming a competent confining bed.

The groundwater in this complex is directed from eastern highlands, partly to the western escarpment within the faults, but mainly to the east where it discharges along the various wadies.

6.2.3 Project area aquifer systems

Hummar aquifer system (A4)

The Hummar Aquifer system comprises a karstified dolomitic limestone, light to dark grey in colour, hard, crystalline, coarse grained and high fractured. The thickness of this aquifer system ranges between 40–45 m.

This aquifer is overlain by an aquitared formation (A5/6) which separates the (A4) system from (B2/A7) system.

The specific capacity of the Hummar Aquifer is determined to be in the range of 1.1 to 8.8 m2/hr, with transmissibility ranging between 32 to 300 m2/day and a hydraulic conductivity range from 6.59 to 6.7 m/day (Water Authority Open Files). Studies undertaken to estimated the total recharge of this aquifer based on the flow- net analysis of groundwater and a recharge of about 5 MCM/Year, while the total abstraction of this aquifer about 7.4 MCM/Year (according to WAJ files) It can be concluded that the water abstraction from the aquifer exceeds the recharge amount.

Wadi Sir-Amman aquifer system (B2/A7)

The Wadi Sir-Amman (B2/A7) aquifer is considered as the most important aquifer in Amman-Zarqa Basin, consisting of limestone, chert-limestone, sandy limestone and marly limestone. The aquifer



complex is overlain in the eastern desert by a thick marl layer (B3) forming a competent confining bed. The groundwater recharge in this aquifer is from eastern highlands, partly to the western escarpment within the faults, but mainly to the east where discharge is along wadies.

The aquifer can be characterized as a karstified fractured rock aquifer. The karstification in the limestone and dolomites is unevenly distributed which leads to large heterogeneities in permeability and storability.

Parts of the aquifer are highly cavernous. In these areas the movement of groundwater is quite rapid, thus restricting is filtering ability. The exploitation of the B2/A7 aquifer has been increased enormously over the past decade and as a result water levels are declining rapidly. In the past few years, annual water level decline rates reach more than 2-3 m/year, while the general depth to water level exceeds 140 m for this aquifer in this part of Amman-Zerqa basin.

6.2.4 Groundwater resources in the project area

Groundwater uses in the project area are represented by the pumped wells encountered in the catchment area. Five wells have been drilled within 4 km of the site (two of these wells are not working).

Table 6.7 gives the co-ordinates of the drilled wells close to the site, (Source of data: Water Authority files), while Figure 6.4 shows the locations of these wells .Study of these wells has provided information about the nature of the aquifer system in the project area. The pumped water from these wells is presently used for municipal and agricultural purposes.

All of these wells penetrated the Wadi Sir-Amman (B2/A7) Aquifer system, the depth of these wells range between 203-421 m, and the yield of these wells range between 16-66 m3/hr, while the static water levels range between 148.3-158 m below the surface.

Table 6.7 shows the drilled wells close to the project area (Source of data: Water Authority files).

There are two wells (AL 3433, AL3503) which penetrate the two aquifers in the project area, Wadi Sir-Amman (B2/A7) Aquifer and Hummar Aquifer (A4), the depth of these wells is about 359-421 m, and the yield is about 5-16 m3/hr. The static water level in the wells is about 158-218 m below the surface.

Figure 6.4



TABLE 6.7 DRILLED WELLS CLOSE TO THE PROJECT AREA

Coordination Well name

Well ID

East North

Well depth

Altitude Aquifer S.W. Level

Yield

AL1789 Madouneh 1 1146260 253930 203 58 148.3 B2/A7 810

AL1797 M.Hamlan 3 1146180 251470 220 66 169.3 B2/A7 836

AL1807 M.S.Kurdi 1144200 252200 350 B2/A7 875

AL3433 Al-Manakher 1 1143700 253170 421 5 218 2/A7, A4 880

AL3503 Madouneh 1A 1146000 254100 359 16 158 B2/A7, A4 812

6.2.5 Groundwater quality of the upper cretaceous aquifer system

As discussed above the basin consists of two main aquifers in the project area; the deep Hummer aquifer (A4) and shallow complex consisting of Wadi Sir Amman silicifid unit (B2/A7) aquifer.

In general from the recharge area of the (B2/A7) aquifer in the western highland to the discharge areas there is an increase in salinity. Electrical Conductivity (EC) values vary considerably in the Amman-Zrqa basin from 480-8200 µs/cm. Also (B2/A7) in Amman- Zarqa basin shows an increase in the concentration of nitrate, which is typically higher than 50 mg/l.

For the Ajloun aquifers in general, the salinity of groundwater is mostly low, but increases towards the highlands. Several wells with salinity higher than 2000 µs/cm due to over pumping are found in the central part of Amman-Zarqa basin. There is also an increase in nitrate concentration with values greater than 50 mg/l observed in the western part of Amman-Zarqa basin (WAJ Files). This would appear to be due to the over usage of fertilizers in agriculture, and the use of the permeable cesspits to dispose of waste water, especially in Jerash and Ajloun areas.

6.2.6 Surface water resources at the project area

There are three main sources for surface water, springs, treated wastewater and dams in the area. These resources are all found around the Amman-Zarqa Basin with none located within 4 km of the project area.

Surface water in the project area is limited to flash storms occurring during the winter months. This surface water is not exploited as most of it either evaporates or percolates into the ground. The average yearly rainwater is about 233 mm during the winter months of October through March (period from 1980-2006), (source of Data: Sahab Rainfall Station).



6.2.7 Relevant legislation

The scoping stage of the project identified 2 pieces of Jordanian legislation that might be relevant to the project including the ‘Water Authority's Act (No. 62,2001)’ which requires that:

The project proponent should comply with item (3) of article (30) related to banning pollution of any source of water resources under the supervision control of the water authority directly or indirectly, or even causing it, or latent of removing it within the time scale set by the authority.

Also identified as being potentially applicable was ‘Underground -water Monitoring By-law (No.85,2002)’ which states that:

Based on this by-law, it is compulsory to follow article (51) of this by-law related to the appearance of underground water. The proponent should inform the general secretariat in a period of time not exceeding 7 days from the appearance date.

The current Jordanian guidelines for wastewater are provided in Table 6.8. The World Bank effluent quality requirements are presented in Table 6.9. However as the plant will not dispose of any waste waters to local water courses these limits are not considered to be relevant to the project.

TABLE 6.8 JORDANIAN WASTE WATER GUIDELINES

NON-ORGANIC CHEMICALS AFFECTING GENERAL HEALTH

Allowed limit, mg/l Parameter

5.0 Al

0.1 As

0.1 Be

0.2 Cu

1.5 F

5.0 Fe

0.075 Li

0.2 Mn

0.01 Mo

0.2 Ni

5.0 Pb

0.05 Se

0.01 Cd



TABLE 6.9 THE WORLD BANK EFFLUENT DISCHARGE LIMITS

Parameter Maximum value

pH 6-9

Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 50 mg/l

Oil and grease 10 mg/l

Total residual chlorine 0.2 mg/l

Chromium (total) 0.5 mg/l

Chromium (hexavalent) 0.1 mg/l

Copper 0.5 mg/l

Iron 1.0 mg/l

Zinc 1.0 mg/l

Temperature increase at the edge of the mixing zone

Less than or equal to 3°C

6.2.8 Water users in the project area

There are no significant water users in the area of the project with the nearest industrial site being located some 6 km to the south east at the King Abdulla Industrial Estate, Sahab.

6.3 Geology

The geology of the area is dominated by sedimentary rocks related to Cretaceous age that subdivided in two main sequences, Lower and Upper Cretaceous rocks which are discussed in greater detail in Section 6.2.

The Amman East site is situated on the Muwaqar Chalk Marl (B3) geologic formation according to the Jordan Geologic Map (See Figure 6.1). The formation consists of marl, soft thick-bedded chalky limestone with hard beds of microcrystalline limestone, pale chert, and local phosphorite. Gastropods and bivalves can be found in this layer. Large micritic limestone concertions occur which in the formation are up to 2 m in diameter whilst a grey coloration in the upper part of the formation indicates local bituminization. The lithologies suggest that the rocks were formed through on a sea bed with pelagic sedimentation.

Information relating to the groundwater resources and local Aquifers is presented in Section 5 (water quality).



6.3.1 Soils

The site consists of undulating terrain sloping from the north-east to the south-west. The site is sparsely vegetated with rock outcrops in the more elevated north-easterly parts. The rock outcrops consist of pale grey to beige microcrystalline limestone with chert concretions.

The road to the north of the site passes through a cutting in the surface soil as it passes the north-eastern portion of the site. The cutting reveals the presence of marl and chalky limestone layers about 0.5 m to 1 m below existing ground surface in addition to microcrystalline limestone with chert outcrops and intercalations.

There is also a rather deep gulley in a ravine to the west of the site which reveals the presence of some dark brown silty clay and clayey silts with varying amounts of limestone rock fragments up to about 1 m below ground surface. The depth of silty clay is expected to be few meters in the ravine area while it expected to be shallower in the more elevated area.

The soil which underlies the site is considered to be relatively impermeable and not conducive to the mobility or transport of heavy metals constituents etc.

There was at the time of the site walkover no signs of any surface waters though a wadi runs west from the site near the main road.

There is no discernible evidence of industrial installations in the immediate vicinity of site that would potentially be of concern with regard to any contamination of surface soils. The site walkover did not identify the presence of any manmade waste, spills or wastewater at the site. No crops were observed requiring fertilizers and pesticides on-site.

The only land disturbing activities observed at the site was some fill dumped as a result of road excavation works and a few dwellings on top of the hill over looking the site.

There is a quarry located a few kilometres to the west of the site whilst the Al-Ghabawi municipal landfill (lined) is located some 12 km east of the site. These two installations represent the only significant industrial developments in the vicinity of the site but do not represent a source of potential soil contamination due to distance.

There are no known underground fuel storage tanks or septic tanks on site. The presence of such structures is highly unlikely give the nature of the site.

6.4 Noise

6.4.1 Noise sensitive receptors (NSRs)

Following careful inspection of the site and surrounding area the following NSR locations were selected for monitoring.

• Location 1 – Adjacent to property 560 m to north-west of site boundary



• Location 2 – Adjacent to property 200 m to north of site boundary

• Location 3 – Adjacent to property 600 m to north-east of site boundary

• Location 4 – Adjacent to property 100 m to east of site boundary

• Location 5 – Adjacent to property 20 m to south of site boundary.

Grid references for the boundary positions are included in the noise monitoring forms in Appendix F.

6.4.2 Baseline conditions

Baseline conditions were determined by way of an assessment to obtain existing noise levels at each NSR and site boundary location.

6.4.3 Noise assessment methodology

All monitoring was conducted using a Class 1 Sound Level Meter. A field calibrator was used to calibrate and check the meter before and after the measurement period with no change in level recorded. The annual accredited calibration certificates for the equipment used are provided in Appendix G. Specific details of the equipment used, including serial numbers and calibration dates, are provided on these certificates.

In accordance with the standards (above), the measurement microphones were positioned 1.4 m above ground level, well away from vertical reflective facades. Weather conditions were conducive to successful monitoring, with zero precipitation and wind speeds of less than 5 m/s. A wind-shield was used to minimize the effects of wind noise.

6.4.4 Manual measurements

Measurements were taken at each of the NSR and boundary positions identified above. The measurements were undertaken in three “sessions”. The first session took place between the hours of 1100 and 1700 on Sunday 13 August 2006, where 15-minute measurements were taken at each NSR and boundary position. The second session took place between the hours of 2000 and 2200 on the night of Monday 14 August 2006 where the circuit of measurements was repeated. The third took place between the hours of 2000 and 2200 on Tuesday 15 August 2006, where the final circuit of measurements was conducted.

Monitoring at the NSR was not undertaken beyond 22.00 due to safety issues. An assessment was made to find a central location of the proposed site that would be indicative of surrounding noise levels, measurements were then taken from this proxy location until 01:00 hours.

During this time the weather remained suitable for noise monitoring, with zero precipitation and wind speeds no greater than 4 m/s recorded. The ambient temperature was around 35 C during the day and 27°C during the night.

Each measurement recorded the same five statistical parameters (LA90, LAeq, LAmax, LA10, LAmin.) in un-weighted third octave bands, with the overall figure reported using the A-weighed frequency network.



6.4.5 Results of survey

The full results of the Manual Measurements are shown on the Noise Monitoring Forms included in Appendix F. Table 6.10 summarizes the lowest LAeq recorded at each NSR and boundary position, during the daytime and night-time periods.

TABLE 6.10 SUMMARY OF LOWEST RECORDED LAEQ

AT EACH MEASUREMENT POSITION

Lowest recorded LAeq (dB(A)) Measurement position

Daytime Night-time

Location 1 57 33

Location 2 60 33

Location 3 54 33

Location 4 48 33

Location 5 48 33

The night time measurements were taken from a proxy location toward the centre of the site. The lowest measured worst case night-time LAeq of 33 dB has been used for assessment purposes. Any significant variance from this measured level is considered unlikely due to the rural surroundings of the proposed site.

6.5 Landscape

Topography in the area is typical of the Highlands Topographic Region in which the site is located. The Highlands region extends from Um Qais in the north passing through Ajlun Mountains, the hills of Amman and Moab regions, and the Edom mountains region. Many creeks and wadies drain from these hills from north to south and lead to the river Jordan, Dead Sea and Wadi Araba. The southern highlands are higher than those in the north, though they are home to fewer species of vegetation types that also have a lower density.

The project site comprises of north/west shallow slopes of Al-Manakher hills that crossed by rainfall drainage small wadies toward south. There are a number of scattered houses to the north whilst the village of Al Al-Manakher is located 1 km to the south.

The site is bound to the north by the main Zarqa to Sahab road.

The plant is not located close to any archaeological site protected by Jordanian legislation on the protection of archaeological remains (Archaeology Act (No.32, 2004)).



6.6 Transport infrastructure

6.6.1 Road Transport

The existing transportation infrastructure in Jordan consists primarily of:

• Air Transportation: Jordan has three airports, two of are international (Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, and King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba). The third is civil airport (Amman Civil Airport).

• Sea Transportation: Aqaba city has the only port in Jordan, most of the imported and exported cargo are transported through Aqaba Port. In addition, this port is used for passengers travelling by boats to and out of the country.

• Land Transportation: The road network in Jordan has progressed in terms of design, construction and maintenance where currently the total length of the network in Jordan is 7500 km, in 2004; divided into three types of roads (Highways, Secondary and village roads) as shown in Table 6.11 for Jordan and Amman.

TABLE 6.11 LENGTH OF ROADS NETWORK, 2004

Particulars Unit Jordan Amman

Highway km 3'075 326

Secondary km 2'078 222

Village km 2'365 3330

Total km 7'200 878

The project site that is located in the Al-Manakher area the roads of which fall under the management of the Sahab municipality. The Zarqa to Sahab road runs along the northern boundary of the site with traffic flows averaging about 1900 vehicles/day the majority of which are associated with the rush hours at 6.30 am and 4.30 pm. The road is wide and appears to be of good quality.

At some point in the near future it is understood that a ring road around Amman will be constructed that will pass the site immediately to the west.

The vehicle fleet of the kingdom amounted in 2004 to 614,614 vehicles (540,271 private and 74,343 public) as shown in Table 6.12 Taxis are readily available in the kingdom’s major cities. Expatriates wishing to drive in Jordan can legally use their international driving license for short stays. For long-term residency, a Jordanian license is necessary and can be obtained upon presenting a foreign license.



TABLE 6.12 NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH RESPECT TO TYPE IN JORDAN AND ZARQA

GOVERNORATES, 2004

Type of vehicle Jordan Amman

Saloons

Private 366,311 297,796

Public 28,133 18,642

Buses

Private 725 551

Taxi 1,395 1,147

Vans and trucks

Private 128,154 77,721

Public 13,340 8,035

Tankers

Private 1,029 727

Public 1,742 1,194

Trailers

Private 2,106 23,112

Public 29,733 181

Others

Private 41,946 31,549

Public 0 0

Railway transport in Jordan is managed by the Hijaz Railway and the Aqaba Railway Corporation.

The length of the portion of the railway in Jordan is about 452 km. Currently, the railway is not especially effective as a mode of transport, however the kingdom is aiming to expanding its railway system to allow for better integration with other countries in the region. Several investment projects are underway in order to improve the utilization of the railways through upgrading and expansion.

Hijaz Railway is used for transporting merchandize between Jordan and Syria, in addition to tourism purposes; while Aqaba Railway (292 km in length) is used for transporting Jordanian phosphate from Hasa to Aqaba.

There are no railways within the immediate vicinity of the proposed Amman East CCGT site.



6.6.2 Communication

Jordan has a modern communication infrastructure. Direct dial international phones, mobile cellular phones, pagers, data transmission networks, and facsimile services are available throughout Jordan and to almost all countries. Number of working telephone lines in Jordan are around 623 005 out of which 78 945 lines are in Zarqa Governorate (in year of 2004).

In March 1996, Jordan joined the information superhighway with the launching of on-line Internet services through Sprint Telecommunication. Jordanian companies have been providing Internet services through local network since 1994, and the number of subscribers among individuals and companies is growing rapidly. The trend has caught on quickly in the country, and many local companies are turning to the Internet as a solution to their communication strategy and for access to the wealth of information available on-line.

Telegram services are available through most of the Kingdom’s post offices. Most of the international express delivery companies have representative offices in Amman and major cities, for door-to-door shipment of documents and small parcels. These include DHL, Aramex, Eastern, and Federal Express.

6.7 Socio economics

The site lies in a sparsely populated area to the east of Amman close to the village of Al-Manakher. There is little to no industry in the immediate vicinity of the site with the nearest residential properties located about 1 km to the north and south. There is some agricultural activity in the area, including some olives and wheat crops and goat herds.

The to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan runs north-south some 800-900 m to the west of the site.

6.7.1 Demographic

Population

The population of Jordan is about 5 350 000 in 2004, with a population growth rate of 2.6 per cent. The urban population is around 4 404 000, while rural population is around 946 000. The distribution of the population by gender shows that about 51.5 per cent of the total population is males, and 48.5 per cent are females; as shown in Table 6.13.



TABLE 6.13 ESTIMATED POPULATION OF THE KINGDOM

FOR THE PERIOD 2000–2004

Particular Unit 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Total populations thousand 4,820 4,940 5,070 5,200 5,350

Urban populations thousand 3,952 4,066 4,157 4,280 4,404

Rural populations thousand 868 874 913 920 946

Rate of population growth thousand 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.6

Male thousand 2,482 2,544 2,611 2,678 2,758

% Male percent 51.5 51.5 51.5 51.5 51.5

Female thousand 2,338 2,396 2,459 2,522 2,592

% Female percent 48.5 48.5 48.5 48.5 48.5 The population in Amman Governorate is around to 2 074 000 inhabitants (2004), who represent 38.8 per cent of the national population, and the Governorate population density is 273.7 capita/km2. The total number of families in Amman Governorate is estimated as 382,674 families. The project site is located in Al-Manakher village which belongs to Sahab sub- district at a distance about of 4 km east of Amman as shown in Table 6.14 and Table 6.15.

TABLE 6.14 ESTIMATED POPULATION, AREA AND POPULATION DENSITY

BY GOVERNORATE, 2004

Governorate Population % Area (km2)

% Population density (capita/km2)

Amman 2,074,000 38.8 7,579 8.5 273.7

Balqa 356,000 6.7 1,119 1.3 318.1

Zarqa 799,000 14.9 4,761 5.4 167.8

Madaba 135,000 2.5 940 1.1 143.6

Irbid 952,000 17.8 1,572 1.8 605.6

Mafraq 250,000 4.7 26,541 29.9 8.4

Jarash 161,000 3.0 410 0.5 392.7

Ajlun 123,000 2.3 420 0.5 292.9

Karak 211,000 3.9 3,495 3.9 60.4

Tafila 77,000 1.4 2,209 2.5 34.9

Ma’an 102,000 1.9 32,832 37 3.1

Aqaba 110,000 2.1 6,900 7.8 15.9

Total 5,350,000 100 88,778 100 60.3



TABLE 6.15 ESTIMATED POPULATION BY ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION

FOR AMMAN GOVERNORATE, 2004

Administrative division Population

Amman Governorate 2,074,000

Amman Qasabah District 589,020

Marka District 518,500

Quaismeh District 277,910

Al-Jami'ah District 296,580

Wadi Essier District 184,600

Sahab District 62,220

Sahab Sub-District 62,220

Jizah District 43,550

Jizah Sub-district 36,410

Um Al-Rasas Sub-district 7,140

Muaqqar District 31,110

Muaqqar Sub-district 19,320

Rajm Al-Shami Sub- district 11,790

Na'oor District 70,510

Na'oor Sub-district 42,660

Um Elbasatien Sub-district 11,070

Hosban Sub-district 16,780 The distribution of population for Jordan and Amman Governorate by gender is shown in Table 6.16.

The Jordanian Society is characterized by the domination of the youth. It is estimated that the working age (15-60 years) makes up to 56.8 per cent of the total population, including. Age group of 0-14 makes up to 37.1 per cent of the total population, which indicates that the number of people falling in the working age groups will increase with time. A breakdown of the estimated population of the Kingdom and Amman Governorate by age group is presented in Table 6.17.

TABLE 6.16 GENDER DISTRIBUTION FOR BOTH JORDAN AND

AMMAN GOVERNORATE, 2004

Gender Jordan Amman

Female 2,757,700 1,056,773

Male 2,592,300 1,017,227

Total 5,350,000 2,074,000



TABLE 6.17 ESTIMATED POPULATION OF THE KINGDOM AND AMMAN GOVERNORATE

BY AGE GROUP, 2004

Year 2004/Jordan 2004/Amman

Age structure Person % Person %

0-14 1,985,345 37.1 736,270 35.5

15-29 1,673,610 31.3 618,052 29.8

30-44 880,765 16.5 375,394 18.1

45-59 483,435 9.0 209,474 10.1

60-64 123,215 2.3 53,924 2.6

65 and over 203,630 3.8 80,886 3.9

Total 5,350,000 100 2,074,000 100

6.7.2 Employment

Jordanian labour force is estimated to be about 1,218,747 persons in 2004, which represents about 23 per cent of the Jordanian population (National Centre for Development of Human Resources, 2004)(2).

Around 42 per cent of the total labour force is concentrated in Amman Governorate which is estimated as 511,874 persons.

Al-Manakher is a very small village , most of its employment is within governmental post. I would assume the number of employment seeker from Al-Manakher will be less than 50 people, most of then are unskilled labour

The number of unemployed persons seeking employment and applied to the governorate labour office of Amman Governorate was 2,150 persons in the year 2004..



TABLE 6.18 DISTRIBUTION OF THE WORKING AND UNEMPLOYED LABOURS IN AMMAN

GOVERNORATE ACCORDING TO THE AGE GROUPS, 2003

Working labours Unemployed labours

Age group Persons Percentage, % Persons Percentage, %

15-24 95,100 21.4 12,480 10.4

25-39 203,980 45.9 76,920 64.1

40 -54 109,767 24.7 25,320 21.2

55-64 28,886 6.5 6,000 5.0

65 and above 6,666 1.5 - 0

6.7.3 Education

The main general educational services providers in Jordan are the Ministry of Education and the private sector, in addition to Armed Forces, which provide this service to the remote areas in the country.

The educational level in Jordan consists of:

• kindergartens (2 years)

• basic education (10 years)

• secondary education (2 years).

The average number of students enrolled in all schools in Jordan is 1 531 331 students and the number of teachers providing education is 78 298 in year 2004, while the total numbers of students in Amman governorate are 544 900 students. There are in Jordan 5348 schools, 30 vocational training centres (9 for males and 2 for females), eight public universities, and twelve private universities.

Table 6.19 summarizes education data for 2004 in Jordan. Table 6.20 summarizes the distribution levels of population in Amman Governorate.



TABLE 6.19 EDUCATION DATA

Particulars Unit 2004

Students Person 1,531,331

Teachers Person 78,298

Class units Class 55,587

Schools School 5,348

Students per 1000 population Person 286

Students per one teacher Person 19.6

Students per one class unit Person 28

Students per one school Person 286

Enrolled students in universities (under graduate) Person 83,321

Enrolled students in community colleges Person 23,920

Students enrolled in higher education institutions Person 3,970

Number of universities Univ. 20

Public Univ. 8

Private Univ. 12

TABLE 6.20 DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION LIVING IN AMMAN GOVERNORATE BY

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, NATIONALITY AND SEX, 2004

Jordan Amman Educational Level

Male Female Male Female

Illiterate 37440 97931 1348 8618

Read and Write 35100 33059 1439 1488

Elementary 265950 256940 29255 24152

Preparatory 376348 359128 64732 57820

Secondary 70941 79542 14188 18295

Intermediate Diploma 20808 12121 1769 1406

B.Sc 83277 83321 53796 24371

Higher Diploma 1560 751 312 175

M.A 6460 1105 1033 663

Ph.D. 1120 151 560 151



In 1987, the Electrical Training Centre was established to provide skilled employees in the areas of power generation, transmission and distribution to the local and regional market. The total number of graduates in 2003 was 250 from Jordan as well as other countries in the region. This vocational training centre is currently operated by the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO), and presents a likely source of staff for the operational stage of the project.

6.7.4 Housing

Housing in Jordan varies from small-crowded dwellings to large villas, with the total number of housing units in Jordan estimated as 1,204,398 in year of 2004. Total number of buildings in Amman Governorate is estimated as 182,961 units, whereas number of housing units is 498,085 units.

The cost of living in Jordan is quite low compared to industrially developed ratios and neighbouring countries of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, with an inflation rate of 3.4 per cent (2004). According to the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company in Amman, the utility prices in 2004 are as follows: gasoline 0.43 JD per litre, super gasoline 0.606 JD per litre, unleaded gasoline 0.6 JD per litre, diesel JD 0.315 per litre, kerosene JD 0.315 per litre, and gas 4.25 per cylinder. Electrical current operates at 220 volts/50 cycles. Water and electricity prices are presented in Table 6.21 and Table 6.22 below.

TABLE 6.21 DOMESTIC WATER COSTS

Prices of Water Water in cubic metres domestic* use

Price

0-20 2972 Fils

21-40 159 Fils/m3

41-70 479 Fils/m3

71-100 722 Fils/m3

101-120 968 Fils/m3

Above 121 1442 Fils/m3

Other uses 1560 Fils/m3

*(FROM WATER AUTHORITY)



TABLE 6.22 DOMESTIC ELECTRICITY COSTS

Price of electricity Utility domestic use*

Fils/kWh

1 to 160 kW/h (monthly) 31



501 kW/h and above (monthly) 82

Commercial use 63

Industrial use 41

Agricultural use 31

Water pumping 40

Hotels 60

*(From Electricity company)

Total numbers of inhabitants in Amman Governorate who are serviced by water network are 193 810 persons, and the numbers of locals are serviced by electricity are 198 812 persons.

6.7.5 Health services

The standard of health services in Jordan are among the best in the region. There are 25 520 doctors (physicians and dentists), which represents a rate of 48 doctors per 10 000 of population; health personnel distribution are shown in Table 6.23.

There are health clinics available at Sahab city about 4-5 km away from the site. Major hospitals are available in Amman. There are 97 hospitals with 9'820 beds in Jordan, while 12 hospitals with 991 beds are located in Karak as shown in Table 6.24.

TABLE 6.23 DISTRIBUTION OF HEALTH PERSONNEL IN JORDAN, 2004

Category Unit Total Rate per 10,000 population

Physicians Persons 22,035 41.2

Dentists Persons 3,485 6.5

Pharmacist Persons 4,534 8.5

Staff Nurses Persons 17,240 32.2

Midwives Persons 1,696 3.2



TABLE 6.24 HEALTH SERVICES IN AMMAN GOVERNORATE, 2004

Category Jordan Amman

Number of hospitals 97 9

Ministry of Health sector 29 4

Royal Medical Services sector 12 5

Private sector 56 38

Number of beds 9 820 5 384

Health centres 402 44

Maternity and child health care centre 365 32

Dental clinics 260 131

There are 1616 pharmacies in Jordan, 901 pharmacies are located in Amman Governorate.

6.7.6 Land use

This section will cover the major land use in Jordan including Amman Governorate as follows:

6.7.6.1 Agriculture

Due to the scarcity of water resources, agricultural activities in Jordan are limited. The agricultural sector contributed a 3.6 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2004, which is boosted by irrigation and technological advancement in farming methods, especially drip irrigation. The work force in the agricultural sector is estimated to be about 10 per cent of the workforce at the national level.

The total planted area in the Kingdom is estimated at 2,708,744 dunums, 2004; distributed as shown in Table 6.25

TABLE 6.25 DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTED AREA IN JORDAN,

AMMAN GOVERNORATE, 2002

Particulars Unit Jordan Amman Governorate

Planted area with fruit trees Dunum 8,60300 86862

Total number of trees Tree 18,963,000 1934606

Planted area with winter vegetables Dunum 203,400 10135

Planted area with summer vegetables Dunum 165,700 17673

Planted area with field crops Dunum 1,479,400 363602



The total planted area of fruit trees and field crops in the Jordan Valley is 3 061 000 dunums, 2004. The Jordan Valley enjoys a subtropical climate and highly fertile soil, allowing for year-round cultivation. Numerous projects in the valley are focusing on the improvement of the irrigation system’s efficiency and the re-use of treated wastewater.

In Jordan natural grazing lands, as well as barley and hay production from grains and legumes, comprise the main forage production which maintain livestock during winter. There are almost 2'099'490 heads of livestock in Jordan, 326100 heads of which are located in Amman Governorate.

6.7.6.2 Industrial sector

The industrial sector of Jordan is mainly composed of mining and manufacturing industries. Large scale industries in Jordan include mining of mineral resources and the industrial production of cement, fertilizers and refined petroleum.

Jordan has increasingly been focusing on high value added manufacturing industries. Among the most prominent manufacturing industries are foodstuff, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, consumer products and ready-to-wear garments.

There are 144'614 industrial establishments in Jordan, providing jobs for 917 841 employees. Amman governorate contains 72,575 industrial establishments, which represent 43.5 per cent of the industrial sector in Jordan.

The economic sector of industry is a major employment sector; it accounts for more than 21 per cent of employed persons, as shown in Table 6.26.

Total industrial enterprises in Amman governorate are 12 575 distributed in the manufacture of textile, food and dairy, construction; chemicals fabricated metal products, cosmetics, detergents, medical products. There are three industrial qualified zones (QIZ) in the Amman Governorate, they are King Abdullah II industrial zone in Sahab municipality, Qastal qualified zone in Jiza municipality and Tujma'at industrial zone in Sahab municipality.

The following table shows the percentages of the employed persons according to different economic sectors in Amman governorate.



TABLE 6.26 PERCENTAGES OF THE EMPLOYED PERSONS ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT

ECONOMIC SECTORS IN AMMAN GOVERNORATE, 2003

Economic Sector Percentages of Employed Persons

General management, teaching, health care and civil defence 38.8

Trade 29.5

Industry and mining 21.3

Services 24.1

Transportation and communication 18.7

Construction 22.1

Agriculture 0.2

In 2003 the income of 55.2 per cent of the Jordanian employees in Amman governorate was less than 200 JD/month, while the income of 27.1 per cent of employees was around 200-300 JD/month, the income of 9.1 per cent of employees was around 300-500 JD/month and the income of 5.3 per cent of the employees was above 500 JD/month.

6.7.6.3 Economy

Jordan’s economy is free market oriented; Prices (except for a few subsidized goods), interest rates and wages are generally determined by market forces. The main economic indicators in Jordan for the year 2004 are shown in Table 6.27.

The service sector, which is comprised of financial services, trade, transportation, communication, tourism, construction and education, contributes 79 per cent to GDP and employs two-thirds of the labour force. The remaining 21 per cent is contributed by the agricultural and industrial sectors, as estimated by the economic situation evaluation committee.

TABLE 6.27 THE MAIN ECONOMIC INDICATORS FOR 2004

Growth rate of GDP at fixed producer prices 7.5%

Growth rate of GDP at current producer prices 12.6%

Per capita GDP 1515.6 JD

Total export of goods and services 3955.1 MJDs

Total import of goods and services 6518. MJDs

Inflation rate 3.4%



The percentage of economically active people in Jordan is 40.75 per cent of the total population, 85.62 per cent of them is employed. The income of 85.6 per cent of the household is less than 3600 JD per year, while 14.4 per cent of the household spend more than 3600 JD per year.

With regard to the local economy the village of Al-Manakher is home to just a few shops with the major marketing areas being located in Sahab city and Amman.

6.7.7 Electricity production

The electricity production in whole country is estimated as 8968 GWh in 2004, while the electricity consumption is 8'038 GWh. According to the records from the National Electricity Power Co (NEPCO), the electricity demand for the domestic and industrial uses was increased by 10 per cent in 2004, where Amman Governorate receives 41.1 per cent of total supply. The provision of additional electricity supply to the country as a whole has a positive impacts on the socio-economic conditions of the country. The projections of increase on power demand show that there will be a shortage in electricity supply within one to two years. Operation of the power plant will be vital to avoid supply disruptions and to secure the needed power, which is of utmost importance for economic growth of Jordan.

In addition, the fuel consumption for electricity production is estimated as 2.3 million ton in 2004, which has a negative impact on economic and environmental issues. Therefore, the use of relatively clean natural gas fuel will result in reduction of air pollution, emissions and hence the reduction of health impacts and its related cost. Additionally, the use of natural gas to generate electricity in the power plant will make its operation more economically feasible due to the low cost of natural gas compared to the fuel oil.

6.8 Ecology

The ecological studies undertaken have assessed the direct and indirect impacts of the project on various aspects of terrestrial biological environment in the project area throughout the three phases of the project; construction, operation and decommissioning. These studies have included consideration of:

• Bio-geographical zones in which the project is located with regard to flora in the project area: This has included consideration of typical vegetation coverage, vegetation communities, and rare and endangered vascular plant species.

• Fauna of the project area: Among this large taxonomic group, there are certain smaller groups to study. These groups are considered easy to assess bio-indicators for the status of the fauna because of their higher tropic levels. These groups are large mammals, conservation important small mammals, birds especially the conservation important resident species and conservation important reptiles.

• Sensitive Habitats: These are the areas of biological importance, which includes; protected areas, national parks, range land reserves, important bird areas, wetlands under Ramsar sites, unique habitats and ecosystems and isolated natural sites (Biodiversity Islands).



The study has correlated these target biological environment aspects with their physical environment units. The effects of the predicted impacts that would occur for these physical environment units on the biological environment aspects in the project area are then examined.

6.8.1 Assessment methodology

In order to meet the objectives and scope of this study, a variety of methods were employed to assess the existing biological environment aspects at the project area and to evaluate the expected impacts on these aspects dependent on the subject being studied.

Methods included the following:

• Literature Survey: The survey team collected and reviewed the available data relating to the biological environment in the project area. Data collection was achieved through:

o Library search for the available reference information on the biodiversity or any biologically sensitive areas identified.

o References from institutions that are working in this field of specialty such as, Ministry of Environment (MoE), Royal Society for Conservation of Nature (RSCN) and University scientists and specialists.

• Field work survey: These surveys were undertaken to confirm the literature survey findings. A number of different techniques were used in the field to assess the biological environment as the following:

o Line transects: This technique was used to study most of the biological aspects of environment as the following:

▪ Flora: Line transects was employed used to study changes in vegetation along a physical environmental gradient. This also allowed the surveyor to estimate overall density of cover values of species of a single type of vegetation, which also can be correlated to various physical environmental factors such as salinity, humidity, soil composition, topography etc.

▪ Fauna: This involved the researchers walking the project area in a systematic way that enabled them to cover the whole area. This technique was applied for different target groups of fauna as follows:

▪ Birds: line transects are effective methods to study birds of extensive open habitats in both terrestrial and wetland habitats. This method was used to identify counting density along various environmental gradients.



▪ Mammals: line transect were walked for both large and small mammals, and for large reptiles. This represents the most practical and direct method for counting mammals and or recording them through a gradient of various environmental factors. It depends mainly on recording their singes like foot pints, spoors and body remnants.

o Spotlight Technique: this method was applied for large terrestrial mammals and reptiles also for nocturnal birds, which was implemented easily by car at project area to record the habitat use for these nocturnal species.

• Interviewing technique: This technique was used to study the historical record for the flora and fauna of the area. It was used to correlate the environmental changes with the change on the biological environment, then to build up the prediction for the future trend in biological environment with the presence of the expected impacts of the project. This technique depends on designing a questionnaire and distributes it between old locals in the project area, the questionnaire filled by the locals themselves or with the help of the researchers in the field.

• Photographing technique: This technique was used to document the recorded data, especially the important biological features of the study sites. It was necessary for this study to identify what is called photo stations in selected sampling units in the project area, in order to help also in the future monitoring and to document early stage of changes that can happen to the biological diversity in this area.

6.8.2 Legislation

Biodiversity in Jordan has declined sharply in the second half of the last century due to different reasons such as rapid population growth, rapid and unplanned urbanization, lack of land use policies, etc.

Recently, the need to preserve and protect what is left from our biodiversity has become the mission of many governmental and non-governmental organizations.

On the national level, there are 18 acts and eight regulations that include provisions on environmental protection, these laws and regulations are enforced through different governmental agencies. The acts and regulations that pertain to the Amman East CCGT project are:

• Crafts and Industries Law no. 16/1953 and related regulations.

• Organization of Natural Resources Affairs Law no. 12/1968.

• Quarries Law no. 8/1971.



• Regulations for protection of birds and wildlife and rules governing their hunting (Reg. No 113, 1973).

• Traffic Law no. 14 of 1984.

• Law of Environment Protection, 2003.

On the international level, Jordan has participated in and signed international conventions that protect the environment and biodiversity as well. International agreements that protect Jordan’s’ biodiversity are as follows:

• Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), Ratified 1996.

• Convention on the conservation of the migratory species of Wild Animals (Bonn, 1979).

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES of wild fauna and flora (Washington, DC, 1973), Ratified

• Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitats (Ramsar, 1971), Ratified.

The ESIA has also considered the guidance of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation as outlined in World Bank Guidance Note number 6. This guidance notes that the IFC will not support projects that, in IFC’s opinion, involve the significant conversion or degradation of critical natural habitats.

Critical natural habitats are identified as:

i. existing protected areas and areas officially proposed by governments as protected areas (eg, reserves that meet the criteria of the World Conservation Union [IUCN] classifications), areas initially recognized as protected by traditional local communities (eg, sacred groves), and sites that maintain conditions vital for the viability of these protected areas (as determined by the environmental assessment process); or

ii. sites identified on supplementary lists prepared by the World Bank or an authoritative source determined by IFC’s Environment Division. Such sites may include areas recognized by traditional local communities (eg, sacred groves); areas with known high suitability for biodiversity conservation; and sites that are critical for rare, vulnerable, migratory, or endangered species 4 Listings are based on systematic evaluations of such factors as species richness; the degree of endemism, rarity, and vulnerability of component species; representativeness; and integrity of ecosystem processes.

The guidance also notes that as part of a private sector project IFC supports natural habitat conservation, improved land use and the maintenance of ecological functions. Furthermore, IFC promotes the rehabilitation of degraded natural habitats.



The project is not located in an area that would require it to be classified as a critical natural habitat and therefore it is considered that the project does not contravene the policies of the World Bank and IFC with regard to such habitats. It is therefore necessary to gauge the impact of and need for the project against the baseline identified in the studies undertaken of the site applying the more general stated aim of the IFC with regard to natural habitat conservation, improved land use and the maintenance of ecological functions.

6.8.3 Existing environment

No protected sites are close for that not mentioned, the closest protected area is between 80–100 km, and closest national park is not less than 25 km.

The project site lies in the Al Al-Manakher area, 8 km to the east of Amman ring road on unused land owned by the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Surveys.

6.8.3.1 Topography

Topography in the area is typical of the Highlands Topographic Region in which the site is located. The Highlands region extends from Um Qais in the north passing through Ajlun Mountains, the hills of Amman and Moab regions, and the Edom mountains region. Many creeks and wadies drain from these hills from north to south and lead to the river Jordan, Dead Sea and Wadi Araba. The southern highlands are higher than those in the north, though they are home to fewer species of vegetation types that also have a lower density.

The project site comprises of north/west shallow slopes of al Al-Manakher hills that crossed by rainfall drainage small wadies toward south.

6.8.3.2 Soil type

There is a direct correlation between soil type, and the vegetation types. Al-Eisawi (1985) concluded that the soil of Jordan is highly variable and directly affects the vegetation type. The soil type at the project area is Terra-Rosa and/or Rendzina soil. These soil types are found in the Mediterranean zone in which the site is located, and they are considered the richest types used for cultivation where annual harvests are the main agriculture practice in the project are in general.

6.8.3.3 Climate

According to the analysis made by Al Eisawi (1996), which was based on Emberger quotient (EMBERGER, 1955), the project area is located in the Semi-arid Mediterranean Bioclimatic Zone. The average minimum temperature during the coldest month (January) varies in this zone by approximately between -1°C and +7°C. The average maximum temperature during the hottest month (August) ranges between 26°C and 33°C.

6.8.3.4 Biological environment

This section discussed the fauna and flora of the Biogeographic Zone in which the Amman East site is located.



6.8.3.4.1 Flora

Jordan can be split in to a number or Biogeographic Zones, which vary in the nature of their fauna and flora. The project site exists in the Mediterranean biogeographic zone, which is restricted to the highlands of Jordan extending from Irbid in the north to Ras Al-Naqab in the south. The altitude of this zone ranges from 700-1750 m above sea level with rainfall typically ranging from 300-600 mm. The minimal annual temperature ranges from 5-10°C and the mean maximum annual temperature from 15-25°C. Soil types in the zone are dominated by the red Mediterranean soil (Terra Rosa) and the yellow Mediterranean soil (Rendzina). This region comprises the most fertile part of Jordan and presents the best climate for the forest ecosystem.

The proposed project area is represented in one major ecosystem, the Scrap and Highland ecosystem. This consists of escarpments and mountains, hills and undulating plateaus, which extend mainly from Irbid in the north to Ras Al Naqab in the south, and, from Rift Valley region in the west to the Badia in the east.

The Mediterranean type woodland of pine and oak, with juniper and cypress that can be found in the ecosystem area is believed to have originally covered large tracts of the Jordanian highlands, but the human and climatic factors have resulted in high deforestation and replacement of natural vegetation by species that would not necessarily have been found in the area in the past.

The largest remaining areas of natural woodland occur in the highlands between Amman and North of Jordan, and are dominated by Pinus halepensis above 700 m, whilst mixed evergreen/deciduous oak woodland of Quercus calliprinos and Q. ithaburensis dominate at lower elevations where the original pine-dominated woodland has been degraded.

Cultivation of rain fed wheat widespread on the plateau between Madaba and Irbid, and olive groves cover a large part of the north-western mountains above 700 m. More than 80 per cent of Jordan’s cities and villages occur within this zone.

Two vegetation types, Steppe and Mediterranean non-forest vegetation, characterize the project area. These are discussed in detail below.

Steppe vegetation

Steppe vegetation is confined to the Irano to Turanian biogeographic zone and may intrude either into the Mediterranean as in the project area or the Saharo- Arabian zones. The composition of this vegetation varies according to the soil and climatic differences depending on its location with respect to the Mediterranean zone. For example the steppe vegetation in the Northern Ghor which links with the Northern mountains is dominated by Retama raetam, Ziziphus lotus, Z. nummularia, and Ferula communis with almost no Artemizia herba-alba, while the Steppe vegetation in the north, east and south Mediterranean borders shows other elements like Pistacia atlantica, Anabasis syriaca and Artemisia herba –alba that are not found in the Western Steppes. This maybe due to the fact that the Western Steppes are more affected by the tropical conditions and vegetation in the Rift Valley, while the Eastern Steppes are more affected by the Sahara conditions and vegetation.



Variation in the vegetation composition are recognized, a fact that led to distinguish distinct sub- divisions of the major type. However, since it is very difficult to make a clear distinction between the different types it would be more advisable not to sub divide this type of vegetation.

The common features of this type of vegetation are the presence of shrubs and bushes and the absence of tree vegetation. This vegetation type forms a strip surrounding the Mediterranean region. The common species in this type are:

Retama raetam Artemisia herba-alba Pistacia atlantica

Noaea mucronata Ziziphus lotus Ziziphus nimmularia

Asphodelus aestivus Urgiea maritime Anabasis syriaca

Ferula communis Hammada spp. Gypsophila Arabica

Salsola spp. Astragalus spinosus Tamarix spp.

Crocus moabiticus

Conservation important species:

Family Species Importance

Caryophyllaceae Paronychia argentea Used in traditional medicine for the treatment of kidney stones/under pressure

Chenopodiaceae Salsola vermiculata Palatable for livestock

Achillea fragrantissima Used in traditional medicine for the treatment of stomach ache and digestive disorders/under pressure

Artemisia herba alba Used in traditional medicine for the treatment of stomach ache and digestive disorders/under pressure and palatable for livestock

Compositae

Ifloga spicata Palatable for livestock

Cucurbitaceae Citrullus colocynthis Used in traditional medicine for the treatment of Arthroides.

Poa sinaica Palatable for livestock Graminae

Stipa capensis Palatable for livestock

Labiatae Teucrium polium Used in traditional medicine for the treatment of stomach ache/under pressure

Liliaceae Urginea maritime Used in recent medicines for the treatment of heart disorders.



Mediterranean non-forest vegetation

The Mediterranean zone, which is not covered by forests, contains some shrubs and bushes. The vegitation in these areas is often referred to as Garigue and Batha Mediterranean vegetation. The leading species of this vegetation are Rhamnus palaestinus, calycotome villosa, Sarcopoterium spinosum and Cistus spp. in the North and Artemisia herba-alba will be associated with others in the South.

The Mediterranean non-forest vegetation is considered as degraded forest. Therefore, some scientists believe that if this vegetation is protected, steps toward forest climax will be observed until the final stage is reached. This vegetation is found in the entire Mediterranean zone except the forestlands and the cultivated lands.

Common species in this vegetation type are:

Rhamnus palaestinus Capparis spinosa Echinops spp.

Sarcopoterium spinosum Dactylis glomerata Horedeum bulbosum

Teucrium polium Varthemia iphionoides

Ononis natrix

Artemisia herba-alba Ballota undulata poa bulbosa

Eryngium glomeratum Thymus capitatus Noaea mucronata

Asphodelus aestivus Calycotome villosa

Asparagus aphyllus

Conservation important species:


Araceae Biarum angustatum Common but start to decrease. Sensitive to ploughing

Scorzonera papposa Common/recently under pressure as roots collected and edible

Achillea falcate Used in traditional medicine for the treatment of stomach ache/under pressure

Varthemia iphionoides Used in traditional medicine for different digestive disorders.

Compositae

Phagnalon rupestre Used in traditional medicine (Burning) for all joints pains.

Cruciferae Allysum iranicum Restricted to Ras al Naqab area

Graminae Poa bulbosa Palatable for livestock




Ononis natrix Palatable for livestock Leguminosae

Onobrychis crista-galli Palatable for livestock

Liliaceae Allium truncatum Recently under pressure as bulbs collected and edible

Malvaceae Malva parviflora Leaves collected and edible

Rhamnaceae Rhamnus palaestinus Decreasing/cut for fire wood

6.8.3.4.2 Fauna

The principle sources of interest with regard to fauna in the project area are mammals and birds.

6.8.3.4.3 Mammals

The mammals in the project area could potentially include nearly all the mammals found in the two Zoogeographic Zone represented in the project area. These zoogeographic zones in the vicinity of the project site are the Mediterranean Zoogeographic and Saharo/Sindian Zone (also referred to as the Saharo-Arabian and Irano-Turanian phytogeographic region by Zohary 1973). These are discussed in detail below.

Mediterranean zoogeographic zone

This is a distinct sub region within the Palearctic region (European Origin) and includes mountain areas that extend from the north of Jordan till Al Naqab Mountains in the south.

Important mammals found in this zoogeographic zone include:

Family Scientific name Common name Status

Erinaceus concolor Common Hedgehog Insufficient data Erinaceidae

Hemiechinus auritus Long-eared Hedgehog Insufficient data

Soricidae Corcidura suaveolens Lesser white-toothed shrew

Vulnerable

Canis aureus Golden jackal Vulnerable Canidae

Canis lupus Grey Wolf Nationally threatened

Felis caracal Caracal Nationally endangered Felidae

Felis silvestris Wild Cat Vulnerable

Herpestidae Hepestes ichneumen Egyptian mongoose Vulnerable

Hyaenidae Hyaena hyaena Striped hyena Nationally threatened

Martes foina Rock Marten Nationally threatened

Meles meles Common Badger Nationally threatened

Mustelidae

Vormela peregusna Marbled Polecat Vulnerable




Procaviidae Procavia capensis Hyrax Nationally threatened

Spalacidae Spalax leucodon Mole Rat Vulnerable

Hystricidae Hystrix indica Indian crested porcupine Vulnerable Saharo-Sindian zone

This zone is located to the east of the mountain ranges, extending from south of Jordan to north-east of the country in Mafraq area. It is another sub region within the Palearctic and includes the Sahara Desert, The Arabian Desert. The majority of the project’s mammals belong to this zone.

Important Mammals found in this zoogeographic zone:


Paraechinus aethiopicus Desert Hedgehog Insufficient data Erinaceidae

Hemiechinus auritus Long-eared Hedgehog Insufficient data

Soricidae Corcidura suaveolens Lesser white-toothed shrew

Vulnerable

Canis aureus Golden jackal Vulnerable

Canis lupus Grey Wolf Nationally threatened

Vulpes cana Blanford’s fox Nationally endangered

Canidae

Vulpes rueppelli Sand Fox Nationally endangered

Felis caracal Caracal Nationally endangered

Felis silvestris Wild Cat Vulnerable

Felidae

Felis margarita Sand Cat On the verge of extinction

Hyaenidae Hyaena hyaena Striped hyena Nationally threatened

Vormela peregusna Marbled Polecat Vulnerable Mustelidae

Mellivora capensis Honey Badger Nationally threatened

Procaviidae Procavia capensis Hyrax Nationally threatened

Bovidae Capra ibex Nubian Ibex Nationally endangered

Hystricidae Hystrix indica Indian crested porcupine Vulnerable 6.8.3.4.4 Birds

Jordan has a wide diversity of bird habitat types due to its varied topography and climate and its biogeographical location. More than 363 bird species have been recorded in Jordan, of which more than 141 species are breeding birds and this number might increase with the continuous research.



Jordan lies on the main route of bird’s migration between Africa, Asia and Europe. Millions of birds are migrating over Jordan each year. These migratory species represent the majority of Jordanian avifauna. The large number of migrant birds that visit Jordan twice a year has made the country of a great importance for the global avifauna.

The proposed project area for the power plant is not located on a migration fly way but close to the west of the raptors and eastern desert fly way for migratory birds.

Important breeding birds (in Jordan):


Anatidae Marmaronetta angustirostris

Marbled Duck Globally threatened

Falconidae Falco naumanni Lesser Kestrel Globally threatened

Otididae Chamydotis undulata Houbara Bustard Globally threatened

Accipitridae Aegypius monachus Black Vulture Globally threatened

Strigidae Ketupa zeylonensis Brown Fish Owl Globally threatened

Phasianidae Francolinus francolinus Black Francolin Regionally threatened

Accipitridae Gypaetus barbatus Lammergeier Regionally threatened

Accipitridae Torgos tracheliotus Lappet-faced Vulture Regionally Threatened

Passeridae Passer moabiticus Dead Sea Sparrow Restricted to Middle East

Fringillidae Serinus syriacus Syrian Serin Restricted to Middle East

Fringillidae Corpodacus synoicus Sinai Rosefinch Nationally threatened

Paridae Parus caeruleus Blue Tit Nationally threatened

Important migrant species:

Family Scientific Name Common Name Status

Ardidae Botaurus stellaris 1 Great Bittern Globally threatened

Accipitridae Aquila heliaca Imperial Eagle Globally threatened

Rallidae Crex crex Corn Crake Globally threatened

Accipitridae Buteo buteo Buzzard Significant proportion of the world population

Accipitridae Pernis apivorus Honey Buzzard Significant proportion of the world population

Accipitridae Aquila nipalensis Steppe Eagle Significant proportion of the world population

Accipitridae Accipiter brevipes Levant Sparrowhawk Significant proportion of the world population



6.8.3.4.5 Reptiles

Reptiles in the project area are found in an transition between two vegetation types, which can help in creating diversity in the herpito-fauna. There are some conservation important species of reptiles that can be found in this area, such as Spinytailed Lizard and the Echis snake.

6.8.3.4.6 Insects

The insect and arachnid population in the area is considered to be low with no notable species in the study area.

6.8.3.5 Baseline results

Baseline studies of the site have been undertaken following the methodology discussed in Section 6.8.1. This section discusses the findings of the survey work undertaken with regard to flora and fauna.

6.8.3.5.1 Flora

The proposed site for the power plant has shown clear evidence of past and current use of the site for agriculture practices. This agriculture is restricted to the annual crops like wheat and hey that used for livestock feed. The continuous ploughing of the project site has removed the natural vegetation cover that almost disappeared from proposed site and only remnants of that vegetation cover is found at the small depression wadies that cross the site which are not used for agriculture, in addition to the side of the old road found at the site.

Only two species of natural plant found in the proposed site of the power plant that are representative of the two vegetation types found in the surrounding area. Both of the recoded plant species are not conservation importance since it is common at its vegetation type. These were:

Rhamnus palaestinus: This plant is considered decreasing in the country since it used for making fire in some nomad communities, but at the site it was removed in the past to prepare land for agriculture.

Anabasis syriaca: common and do not have any conservation value.

6.8.3.5.2 Fauna

Due to the deterioration and the absence of the natural vegetation at the proposed site for the power plant, the faunal diversity recorded at the site is minimal. Just one species of reptiles, three species of mammals and five species of birds where recorded at the proposed site of the Amman East CCGT and the surrounding area within 500 m from the site borders.

The recorded fauna species and their conservation are the following:



Reptiles

Acanthodactylus boskianus: common in various habitats in Jordan. This species was observed despite its preference for natural vegetation. The species is also found in high numbers at agriculture lands.

Mammals

Lepus capensis; Cape Hare: This species has been recorded through interviewing locals, who have identified the presence of the cape hare in the area in spite of the sharp decrease the species populations due to in the main the human activities and habitats loss by agriculture.

The conservation status of this species in Jordan is not well defined due to a lack of sufficient data regarding populations, however it is more common in the eastern parts of Jordan where the open desert is considered a very suitable habitat.

Rattus rattus; Common Rat: This species has been recorded during the baseline survey through the borrows records and the scats and foot prints, in addition to the information obtained from locals who identified the presence of this species in large numbers especially during the harvesting seasons in the area for wheat or hey.

This species has no conservation status where in considered common in and near human settlements with its distribution connected to the human activities, especially agriculture where in might be considered as vermin.

Vulpes vulpes; Red Fox: one of the most common large mammals in Jordan, which found in most of the Jordanian habitats and ecosystems. This species recorded at the project proposed site is through footprints and scats and the interviewing of locals who confirmed the presence of this species in the area.

Birds

Streptopelia senegalensis; Laughing Dove: This species has been recorded at the proposed Amman East CCGT site through direct observation. It is one of the most common birds found in numerous habitats. It has no important conservation value.

Galerida cristata; Crested Lark: One of the most common birds in the northern half of Jordan. It is resident in almost all of the habitats in the country. Populations are especially high in cultivated areas. It has been recorded at the proposed site of the power plant by direct observation. The conservation status of this bird of Jordan is common ie it is not threatened.

Pycnonotus xanthopygos; Yellow-vented Bulbul: A very common and resident bird that found in mainly at the semi urban habitats, and those containing cultivated lands. It has been recorded through direct observation. It has no important conservation value.

Oenanthe deserti; Desert Wheatear: Is a widespread desert bird that even found at the transitional zones between the desert habitats and others. The presence of this species at the proposed site of



the project is a proof for the Saharan fauna intrusion in the area. This species recorded by direct observation at the project site. It has no important conservation value.

Passer domesticus; House Sparrow: A very common resident bird, which clearly attached to human activity and settlements. It was recorded through a direct observation at the proposed site of the power plant. It has no important conservation value.

6.9 Cultural heritage

An archaeological survey was conducted in the project area.

The aims of the survey were to:

1. Locate archaeological sites within the limits of the project site.

2. Identity those sites that may be threatened by the project.

3. Define the works necessary to minimize the threat to the regional cultural resources base by the project.

4. Provide preliminary estimate (Sufficient for project budgeting purpose) of the scale and scope of the cultural resources program likely to be required.

5. Provide a suitable implementation structure for the cultural resources management project.

A team composed of two archaeologists surveyed the project area and the surrounding zone, and registered, in addition to mapping, all the sites located within 250 m of the project area. The available maps used in the survey were 1-25,000 or 1-50,5000 scale series k737.

The survey was conducted on foot, with survey members walking at distance between 20-30 meters from each other.

Sample collections were taken at all sites and site features were recorded.

In brief, the team survey registered and mapped all features that may be affected by the project. The summary of tasks undertaken is as follows:

1. Jadis Searching/Department of Antiquities of Jordan (DOA).

2. Library Searching/DAJ/ACOR/BCRL.

3. Field visit.

4. Field Survey.

5. Field Documentation.



6. Data Analysis/computer

7. Report preparation.

8. Final Report issue with recommendations.

6.9.1 Legal framework

The Antiquities Law provides the basic legal framework for archaeological and historical concerns in Jordan. It is an all-embracing law that regulates policies and imposes penalties.

The Act, under article (3) which ban excavation within a distance less than 1 km from archaeological location premises and in all cases is stipulated to get pre-permission from the concerned department before bidding for engineering services, design and drawing, or preparing bidding documents for the private or public projects in accordance with this article.

The Act also required under article (14) that proponents ensure that the project location is free from any archaeological materials, before any excavations, in order to avoid any penalty defined by article (27) from the law.

It is considered that the act is somewhat deficient in a number of areas that necessitate a further degree of assessment outside the requirements of the Act including:

1. There is no legal requirement that specify an accredited agency to determine if there are impacts from the project at the cultural recourses. Legal sanctions are only available when a site is found, and even then some interpretation of the requirements is possible.

2. It is, as of yet, not necessary for all agencies that carry out works to notify, the DOA even if the works may affect archaeological or historical sites.

3. There is, as of yet, no requirement for official agencies or private sector developers to make provisions for archaeological works in development contracts.

These deficiencies have and will be mitigated as the project ESIA is required to meet World Bank standards and has therefore considered the World Bank “Guidance Note 8: Cultural Heritage” that requires due consideration of impacts to cultural property in Bank financed projects. As required by the policy a desk based assessment and site walk over has been undertaken by a competent archaeologist, which has confirmed that no visible surface archaeology exists at the site.



7. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

This section discusses the predicted environmental impact of the proposed Amman East CCGT in light of the baseline environmental studies undertaken for the ESIA detailed in Section 6. It also includes a summary of the proposed mitigation for the impact addressed as necessary which are presented in full in Section 8.

The impacts associated with the gas and water pipelines are addressed in this section and summarized for clarity in Appendix K and Appendix L respectively.

The environmental impacts associated with the transmission line route corridor and substation are detailed in the ESIA prepared for those projects on behalf of NEPCO. This document is provided as Appendix M.

7.1 Air quality

The proposed plant will normally be fired with natural gas but will use DFO at times of interruption to the gas supply.

7.1.1 Air quality during construction

Dust could be emitted during several activities associated with the construction works should preventative measures not be taken. Dust could arise from: earth moving operations for site levelling (that will be minimal), back filling and foundations; removal of spoil, site stripping, blow-off and spillage from vehicles; concreting operations, site reinstatement and road construction and during wind blow over bare dry construction areas.

Only with high wind speeds would long distance transport of dust and the potential for soiling of buildings occur. In these conditions more dust would also be created at source. The extent of any such emissions of dust is very dependent on wind speed, ground conditions, the prevalence of hot, dry conditions and the use of preventative measures.

The dust particles that may be emitted during construction would be of large diameter and would therefore tend to resettle on the ground within 100 to 500 m of the site. Approximately 70 per cent of the dust would generally settle out of the atmosphere within 200 m of the source, and less than 10 per cent could be expected to remain at a distance of 400 m. There should therefore be a minimal impact on local residents from dust creation during the construction phase.

Dust emissions from the site will not be more onerous than those normally encountered on construction sites. Construction operations will be conducted so as to minimize the generation and spread of dust. The appointed contractor will be required to implement a mitigation and monitoring programme. This will prevent construction work generating levels of atmospheric dust which would constitute a health hazard or nuisance to people working on the site or living nearby.

As the mitigation measures outlined in Section 7.1.5 will be employed, dust is unlikely to result in any significant environmental impact during the construction phase.



The use of wheel and chassis washing units will also help to prevent the transport of mud and dust onto off-site routes if necessary.

The commissioning of each unit of the plant will take about 16 weeks. The purpose of commissioning is to adjust the performance of the newly installed plant to achieve all required operational and environmental performance criteria. Firing of the gas turbines will be intermittent during this period. It is possible that during commissioning the emissions of oxides of nitrogen will be temporarily higher than those during normal operation. However, operational periods during commissioning are often short and operation is frequently at low load. Thus the total mass emissions of oxides of nitrogen during commissioning will be low.

7.1.2 Impact of the gas and water pipeline

The impacts on the atmosphere during construction of the gas and water pipelines would be limited to some generation of airborne dust during earth moving activities and exhaust fumes from vehicles and machinery. As construction of the pipeline is performed in various sections over about 1700 m, no one section would be subject to prolonged air quality impacts.

Impacts to air quality could be minimized by using dust suppression measures where necessary to minimize dust creation in the vicinity of the pipelines.

7.1.3 Air quality during operation

Natural gas will be used as the primary fuel in the gas turbines. It is an inherently clean fuel which results in much lower NOx and close to zero SO2 emissions when compared with fuels such as oil or coal. Natural gas has a higher hydrogen content and calorific value than oil or coal, which results in comparatively much lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of electricity generated.

The standby fuel to be used in the new plant will be DFO. This fuel will be used for emergency use only, when natural gas is not available. The combustion of DFO results in a slight increase in emissions of NOx compared to the combustion of natural gas. DFO also gives rise to emissions of SO2 and particulate matter.

Combustion in gas turbines is conducted at high excess air rates, typically 200-300 per cent excess air. There are, therefore, very low levels of carbon monoxide, unburned carbon (i.e. particulate matter) or unburned hydrocarbons present in the products of combustion when burning natural gas.

The combustion of natural gas therefore results in the emission of flue gases containing carbon dioxide, water vapour, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide (CO), NOx and negligible traces of SO2.

During DFO firing there are also emissions of SO2 CO and particulates.

DFO is also a low sulphur fuel. The DFO to be supplied to the site will have a sulphur content of about 1.2 per cent.



The emissions of NOx from all gas turbines during natural gas firing, will be below 125 mg/Nm3 at reference conditions and during DFO firing below 165 mg/Nm3 at reference conditions when the gas turbine is operating at greater than 70 per cent of the rated output. The proponent will require the manufacturer to guarantee these NOx emissions levels.

The emissions of CO will be less than 100 mg/Nm3 whilst the sulphur content of the DFO will ensure that the emissions of SO2 are limited TO 680 mg/Nm3.

During normal operation and under normal meteorological conditions all gaseous discharges from the chimney will be colourless and odourless. At start-up, under certain weather conditions, it may be possible for a faint brown haze to be seen for a few minutes only.

7.1.4 Control of oxides of nitrogen during combustion

The formation of oxides of nitrogen in the combustion of fossil fuels is unavoidable. Nitric oxide (NO) is the principal oxide of nitrogen produced, with a small proportion of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The ratio of NO2 to NO is approximately 1:19.

When NOx was first identified as a harmful pollutant, the exhausts of gas turbines typically contained from 280 to 470 mg/Nm3 NOx. The problem having been identified the manufacturers of gas turbines were able to reduce the levels to about 235 mg/Nm3 by fairly simple changes to air and fuel distribution in the combustors.

Since the NOx formation from atmospheric nitrogen is strongly dependent on the maximum flame temperature and also the time the hot gases remain at this temperature, the thermal NOx component can be reduced either by cooling the flames by the injection of steam or water into the combustion zone or by the use of dry low NOx (DLN) burners.

Figure 7.1 shows a schematic diagram of a typical DLN combustion chamber. DLN seeks to minimize the generation of thermal NOx through effective control of the temperature within the gas turbine. The technique mixes air and fuel in two successive stages achieving a more effective fuel/air mixing reducing the temperature fluctuation within the gas turbine on combustion and as a result provides lower NOx emissions than would otherwise be the case.



FIGURE 7.1

SCHEMATIC OF A TYPICAL DUAL FUEL DLN HYBRID BURNER

It is proposed that the gas turbines chosen for the proposed plant will be equipped with the proven pollution control technology, which will limit the production of NOx to a maximum of 125 mg/Nm3 during gas firing and a maximum of 165 mg/Nm3 during oil firing at full loads. The technology known as the dry low NOx system, limits emissions of NOx to atmosphere. This technique represents the Best Available Technique (BAT) for limiting emissions of NOx to atmosphere from gas turbines.



7.1.5 Conversion of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide

NOx emissions from the proposed plant will consist of the gases NO and NO2. It is only NO2 that is of concern in terms of direct health and environmental effects. However NO is a source of NO2 in the atmosphere. The gases are in equilibrium in the air, with NO predominating at the stack exit. As the plume cools, the equilibrium changes resulting in a predominance of NO2.

NO is oxidized to NO2 mainly by reaction with ozone. Within 5 km of the source less than 20 per cent of the NO will have converted to NO2 under stable conditions. Under unstable conditions with more atmospheric mixing up to 50 per cent of the nitric oxide may have converted to NO2. The rate of conversion of nitric oxide to NO2 increases with rising ozone concentration, wind speed and solar radiation.

For assessing the impacts on air quality of emissions to atmosphere from large combustion sources, such as gas-fuelled power stations, it is important that realistic estimates are made of how much nitric oxide would be oxidized to nitrogen dioxide at all receptors considered.

The rate of oxidation of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide depends on both the chemical reaction rates and the dispersion of the plume in the atmosphere. The oxidation rate is dependent on a number of factors that include the prevailing concentration of ozone, the wind speed and the atmospheric stability.

Between 1975 and 1985 about 60 sets of measurements were made of the concentrations of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide in various power station plumes. These measurements were carried out under widely varying weather conditions at altitudes between 200 m and 700 m. From the data collected, an empirical relationship for the percentage oxidation in a power station plume based on downwind distance, season of the year, wind speed and ambient ozone concentration may be described by the following equation (which is sometime referred to as Janssen’s equation):

( )( )xx

expANONO α−−= 12

where x is the distance downwind (km) of the emission point and α and A are constants dependent on time of year and derived from the measurements of wind speed and ozone concentrations.

The A coefficient can be determined from the expression:

1

31

2 1][

−

⎟⎟⎠

⎞⎜⎜⎝

⎛+=

Okk

A

Where k1 is the second order rate constant for the reaction of NO with O3 and k2 is the rate constant for the photo-dissociation of NO2. Janssen et al uses a value for k1 of 29 ppm-1 min-1 determined by Becker and Schurath in 1975. The value for k2 is dependent on the intensity of sunlight at a particular location and Janssen et al quotes values determined by Parrish et al in 1983 of between 0 in the dark and 0.55 min-1 in full sunlight. In order to ensure a worst case assessment the higher value of 0.55 min-1 has been assumed which will give a maximum conversion of NO to NO2.



The UK Meteorological Office STOCHEM global ozone model indicates that a background ozone concentration, (O3), of 0.030 to 0.040 ppm would be expected in countries of latitude similar to Jordan. It is in good agreement with amateur data collected at met stations in Jerusalem and Beirut between 4 March and 3 April 1999, via the Global Ozone Passive Monitoring Project, which returned average ozone concentrations of 0.025 and 0.051 ppm respectively. For the purposes of this modelling exercise the value of 0.051 ppm has been assumed which represents a likely worst case for the area.

It implies for the proposed plant:

1

1051.0*29

55.0 −

⎟⎠⎞

⎜⎝⎛ +=A = 0.98

The value of α has been determined experimentally by Janssen et al and has been applied by PB Power to a number of sites where both wind speed and ozone data were available from locations in close proximity. Because α is not believed to be a function of the intensity of solar radiation, it is assumed here that it is independent of latitude and can, therefore, be applied equally to plumes anywhere in the world. Notwithstanding expectations, some seasonal variation of α was observed (higher values in summer, lower values in winter) and therefore the worst-case value was considered here. These values of α have in turn been used to give the maximum calculated conversion rates to return more realistic concentrations of nitrogen dioxide.

TABLE 7.1 WORST CASE VALUES OF α USED FOR THE DETERMINATION OF NOX

CONVERSION FACTORS

Wind speed at plume height Background ozone concentration (ppb) 0-5 m/s 5-15 m/s > 15 m/s

120-200 0.40 0.65 0.8

60-120 0.2 0.35 0.45

40-60 0.15 0.25 0.35

30-40 0.1 0.15 0.25

20-30 0.1 0.1 0.15

10-20 0.1 0.1 0.1

0-10 0.05 0.05 0.05

The available meteorological data for Queen Alia Airport indicates that at least 99 per cent of the time the ground level wind speed does not exceed 8 m/s. This value is unlikely to exceed 15 m/s at plume height; therefore, for an ozone concentration of 34 ppb (30-40 ppb), Table 7.1 yields a value for α of 0.15.



An estimate of the ground level concentrations of NO2 likely to occur at each receptor has been obtained by multiplying the NOx values returned during the modelling exercise by the percentage conversion rate returned form the expression, which is a function of the distance of the receptor from the reference stack.

Conversion rates for a sample of distances from the site centre are shown in Table 7.2.

TABLE 7.2 TYPICAL VALUES OF NO2 IN NOX AS A PERCENTAGE WITH DISTANCE

Downwind distance (km) Conversion factor (%)

0.5 5

1 9

2 17

3 25

5 35

10 52

7.1.6 Stack height

The minimum stack height has been calculated on the basis of HMIP guidance note “Technical Guidance Note D1 (Dispersion), Guidelines on Discharge Stack Heights for Polluting Emissions”. This results in an indicative stack height of 49.6 m during gas firing and 48.6 m based on distillate fuel oil for the plant in operation in CCGT mode and 30.5 and 30.6 for bypass stack operation. Stack height sensitivities have therefore been undertaken for 45 m, 50 m, 55 m, 60 m, 65 m, 70 m and 75 m. The stack height calculation using D1 is shown as Appendix D.

Concentrations of NO2 have therefore been predicted for 3rd highest hour ground level concentrations for the new plant for the following scenarios:

1. Natural gas firing; and

2. DFO firing.

Both the CCGT and Bypass stack were considered. For each scenario it is assumed that the plant operating includes the main gas turbine units operating at full load for 8760 hours. Hence the worst case scenarios have been considered. Initial modelling has suggested that the meteorological data for 2002 results in the highest predicted concentrations therefore this has been used for detailed analysis of the stack height. Further details of the modelling input parameters can be found in Table 7.5 for firing on natural gas and DFO respectively.

On the basis of the short term Jordanian maximum 3rd highest hourly concentrations of NO2 for each stack height, assuming a NOx to NO2 conversion rate base on the methodology described in Section 7.1.5, have been assessed and are shown in Table 7.3.



TABLE 7.3 STACK HEIGHT SENSITIVITY

MAXIMUM 3RD HIGHEST HOURLY NO2 (μg/m3)

CCGT stack Bypass stack

Stack Height Natural gas firing DFO firing Natural gas firing DFO firing

45 55.9 51.6 10.6 14.0

50 47.1 42.5 9.8 13.1

55 38.0 31.9 9.0 12.0

60 28.1 25.2 8.2 11.0

65 21.4 25.4 7.4 9.9

70 20.5 25.5 6.6 8.9

75 20.9 25.1 5.8 7.8

The data in Table 7.3 is shown graphically in Figure 7.2.

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

45m 50m 55m 60m 65m 70m 75m

Stack Height (m)

Hou

rly g

roun

d le

vel c

once

rntra

tion

NO 2

in u

g/m

3

CCGT on Natural Gas CCGT on DFO Bypass Stack on Natural Gas Bypass Stack on DFO

FIGURE 7.2 STACK HEIGHT SENSITIVITY

MAXIMUM 3RD HIGHEST HOURLY NO2 (μG/M3)



Figure 7.2 shows that the maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly concentration of NO2 decreases for an increase in stack height when considering both gas and DFO firing for both the CCGT and bypass stack.

For the main CCGT stack whilst it is clear that there is a benefit to the dispersion of pollutants in increasing the stack height of the proposed plant to a level of 60 m or 65 m it is considered that a height of 45 m is more than adequate for the dispersion of flue gases from the proposed plant. The maximum 3rd highest ground level concentration of NO2 predicted is just 60 μg/m3, just 15 per cent of the applicable Jordanian limit of 400 μg/m3 (0.21 ppm). It is considered that the additional visual impact associated with what would be a minimal environmental gain is not sufficient to require a stack height greater than 45 m.

With regard to the bypass stack height the greater exit velocity and temperature associated with the operation of the plant in OCGT (open cycle gas turbine) mode airs dispersion of the flue gases to such a degree as to render any benefit associated with a stack height greater than 45 m to be negligible.

In conclusion it is considered that stack heights of 45 m for both the CCGT and bypass stacks are acceptable.

7.1.7 Atmospheric dispersion modelling

Atmospheric dispersion modelling can predict the ground level concentrations that occur due to the emissions from an elevated stack point source. This subsection describes the key aspects of the dispersion modelling process.

When flue gases are discharged from a chimney they have two sources of momentum. One is related to the velocity of discharge. This is usually designed to be in excess of 15 metres per second as this value has been found to be sufficient to avoid immediate downwash of the plume.

The momentum from the velocity of discharge is soon dissipated.

The second source of momentum is much more significant and is related to the discharge temperature of the flue gases. The flue gases being warmer than the surrounding atmosphere into which they are discharged, have a buoyancy and thus rise. This process continues until the flue gases have cooled to the same temperature as the surrounding air.

Mathematical models calculate the effects of these two sources of momentum and determine the height to which the flue gases will rise. This height plus the height of the chimney gives an effective chimney height.

The mathematical model then determines the dispersion of the flue gases from this effective chimney height. Note that the effective chimney height can be many times greater than the actual chimney height due to the large amount of heat present in the flue gases.



Dispersion occurs as a result of turbulence, and turbulence can result from both buoyancy effects and wind shear (also called mechanical) effects.

As an example of buoyancy effects, on a sunny day, solar heating creates turbulence by heating the ground and the air near the ground. The buoyancy of the heated bubbles of air causes it to rise, creating turbulence. These are the thermals experienced by small plane and glider pilots on sunny days. These can also rapidly disperse a plume in the surrounding air. At night, during stable conditions, the buoyancy effect is to suppress rather than cause or enhance turbulence.

Wind shear as a cause of turbulence is well known to pilots as well. Wind shear effects, important to air pollution modelling, result from high (several meters per second) wind speeds near the ground. Since the wind speed at the ground is zero, any high wind speeds result in substantial wind shear. Wind shear dominates over buoyancy effects not only under high wind conditions, but also near the ground under any conditions.

As a result of this, two parameters are used to define the “stability” of the atmosphere. The first is the friction velocity. This is a measure of wind shear. Shear stress per unit mass has the units of velocity squared. The square root of this is the friction velocity.

The second parameter is a stability term called the Monin-Obukhov length. As mentioned above, shear stress always dominates near the ground. The height above the ground, where buoyancy effects begin to dominate (generating turbulence in convective conditions or suppressing turbulence in stable conditions) is called the Monin-Obukhov length. This can be thought of as a depth of the neutral (ie shear-dominated) flow. The Monin-Obukhov length is positive for stable conditions, and negative for convective. Near-neutral conditions are characterized by very large negative, or very large, positive Monin-Obukhov lengths. Very stable conditions have Monin-Obukhov length of a few metres to a few tens of metres, while very unstable conditions have negative lengths of about the same size.

7.1.7.1 The dispersion model and inputs

The dispersion models available, and accepted by the relevant financial institutions, for point sources are AERMOD and ADMS. Both are second generation models developed in the US and the UK respectively.

There are three main factors to take into account when modelling the dispersion of pollutants; the actual emissions, the meteorological conditions and the local conditions. The local conditions comprise such factors as the surrounding terrain and building downwash structures. AERMOD and ADMS treat most of the factors in a similar manner. As there is little difference between modelling programmes AERMOD was selected due to speed of modelling runs.

Building downwash structures are those that subject the plume from the stack to wake effects. The effect is generally to pull the plume down to the ground closer to the stack and not allow the plume to disperse as effectively thus increasing ground level concentrations. Potential downwash structures are those which are located within 5L of the stack, L being the lesser of the height of the building and the maximum projected width of the building. Additionally if a stack is higher than the height of the building plus 1.5L then the building is not a downwash structure. The only building within 5L of the



stack is the turbine hall, the effects of this building have therefore been incorporated in to the modelling undertaken.

The AERMOD model calculates time averaged ground level concentrations over any set of distances from the source.

Two Cartesian grids, a high resolution grid and a low resolution grid, were considered for the study to enable the impact of the proposed project to be considered in detail at the nearby sensitive receptors and over a larger distance. The high-resolution grid was 2 km north south by 2 km east west with 100 m increments, the low-resolution grid 40 km by 40 km with 1 km spacing centred on the power station site. For the cumulative impact assessment the low resolution grid was extended a further 15 km to the north to allow for consideration of the cumulative impact of the Amman East CCGT and the CCGT plant at Samra.

Table 7.4 gives the data on buildings inputted into the model.

TABLE 7.4 DISPERSION MODELLING DATA

BUILDINGS AT AMMAN EAST

Height Length Breadth

Turbine hall 21 64 30

HRSG x 2 26 15 9.8

Steam turbine building 20 45 30

Air Cooled Condenser 30.5 76 67.5

Height Diameter

Distillate fuel oil tanks (x 2) 16.4 34

The meteorological data used for this modelling exercise was that from the station at Queen Alia International Airport. The data periods considered were the years 2000-2005 inclusive. This meteorological data was chosen as the most recent available data in the vicinity of the proposed site for which the data recorded as part of the air quality monitoring was shown to have a predominantly westerly (32 per cent) prevailing wind direction. For each year of the meteorological data used the predominant wind direction was from the south-west. The wind rose for 2002 can be seen in Figure 7.3.

Terrain effects generally occur when ground levels within 1 km of the stack vary by more than a third of the stack height. For the proposed site the land does not vary significantly within the study area therefore terrain data has not been included in the dispersion modelling exercise.



FIGURE 7.3

WIND ROSE FOR QUEEN ALIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (2002)

7.1.7.2 Scenarios modelled

The scenarios considered represent the worst case operating scenarios as follows:

a. Amman East firing on natural gas in CCGT mode;

b. Amman East firing on DFO in CCGT mode;

c. Amman East firing on natural gas in OCGT mode;

d. Amman East firing on DFO in OCGT mode;

e. Operation of the Amman East CCGT and CCGT plant at Samra operating on DFO in CCGT mode.

The normal operation of the plant will be the combined cycle gas turbine units operating on natural gas. The predicted concentrations are considered to be a worst case as base load operation is assumed the plant may actually run at various loading regimes (including two shifting). The effect of this on predicted concentrations of NO2 will be to lower the long term average, as the plant is operating less, and also to potentially lower the maximum predicted short term averages, as the plant may not operate during the meteorological conditions leading to peak concentrations.

In the case of annual average concentrations these are calculated on the basis of the proposed plant operating for 8760 hours per year at full load. This is considered to be very much a worst case, as the plant will require outage periods for routine annual maintenance, also as noted above it is possible that the plant will two shift. A more likely operating scenario would be of the order of up to 90 per cent annual operation. The annual average concentrations for the new plant assume 14 days operation on DFO.



Consideration has also been given to significance of any cumulative impact between the proposed Amman East plant and the CCGT plant recently constructed at Samra.

The dispersion modelling inputs for the four scenario are as shown in Table 7.5. The inputs presented are per gas turbine unit. The inputs for Samra are based on information provided by the Samra Power station operators though information on the flue gas temperature was not available and is therefore assumed to be the same as for the proposed Amman East CCGT.

TABLE 7.5 DISPERSION MODEL INPUTS

AMMAN EAST

CCGT stack Bypass stack

Parameter Units Natural gas firing per unit

DFO firing per unit

Natural gas firing per unit

DFO firing per unit

Fuel input kg/s 7.82 8.55 7.82 8.55

NOx emission level mg/Nm3 125 165 125 165

NOx flow rate g/s 41.62 53.59 41.62 53.59

SO2 emission level mg/Nm3 negligible 680 negligible 680

SO2 emission rate g/s negligible 223.97 negligible 223.97

Particulate emission level mg/m3 negligible 50 negligible 50

Particulate emission rate g/s negligible 16.24 negligible 16.24

CO emission level mg/m3 negligible 100 negligible 100

CO emission rate g/s negligible 32.48 negligible 32.48

Flue gas temperature K 385.3 417.9 838.6 822.7

Actual flue gas volume m3/s 500.16 533.10 1088.58 1049.50

Normal flue gas flow rate Nm3/s 332.94 324.79 332.94 324.79

Oxygen content % 15 15 15 15

Flue gas velocity m/s 18.93 20.17 33.83 32.62

Equivalent stack diameter m 5.8 5.8 6.4 6.4

Stack height m 45 45 45 45



TABLE 7.6 DISPERSION MODEL INPUTS

SAMRA

CCGT` Stack Bypass stack

Parameter Units Natural gas firing per unit

DFO firing per unit

Natural gas firing per unit

DFO firing per unit

NOx emission level mg/Nm3 188 106 188 106

NOx flow rate g/s 57.63 32.21 57.63 32.21

Flue gas temperature K 385.3 417.9 838.6 822.7

Actual flue gas volume m3/s 460.50 498.81 1002.28 981.98

Flue gas velocity m/s 19.8 20.99 42.18 41.33

Equivalent stack diameter m 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5

Stack height m 42 42 40 40

The site centre has been assigned coordinates 223977, 3532964. Stack coordinates are presented in Table 7.7.

TABLE 7.7 STACK CO-ORDINATES

Stack number X co-ordinate Y co-ordinate

CCGT 1 223962 3532975

CCGT 2 223962 3532944

Bypass 1 223996 3532976

Bypass 2 223996 3532944

Samra 230123 3556685

Due to a limitation in the modelling programmes available it has not been possible to calculate the maximum 3rd highest 30 day running average concentrations as referenced in the Jordanian limits. A worst case has therefore been applied for these short term limits whereby AERMOD has been used to calculate the 3rd highest hourly, maximum daily and annual average concentrations of NO2 for firing on natural gas for CCGT and bypass operation. For DFO firing the 3rd highest hourly SO2 concentrations have also been calculated as has the maximum daily average of particulates (PM10) and the 3rd highest hourly and 3rd highest 8 hour maximum concentrations for CO for CCGT and bypass operation.



Prediction of the annual average concentration of NO2 is difficult to quantify as whilst the plant will operate for the majority of any one year on natural gas there will be times where the plant will operate on DFO. This will likely lead to a more elevated annual ground level concentration for NO2 than would be the case were the plant to operate solely on natural gas. The extent of this will be governed by the number of hours the plant operates on DFO. Annual ground level concentrations have therefore been presented for operation on just natural gas and just DFO with a discussion of these results and their implications discussed in Section 7.1.5. Annual and daily concentrations of SO2 and PM10 have not been presented as only DFO firing will give rise to potentially significant long term emissions of these pollutants. As the plant will only occasionally run DFO emissions of these pollutants will not be of significance to long-term ground level concentrations. Annual averages are not presented for the operation of the bypass stack, as the plant will not operate for long periods of time in this mode.

7.1.7.3 Modelling results

A conservative view of the operation of the plant has been adopted in the modelling so that a “worst case” is presented. The purpose of using this approach is to ensure that the absolute maximum predicted impact within the potential operating regime of the plant is considered. This ensures that there is a “factor of safety” built into all of the air quality assessment, giving a high degree of confidence that the actual impacts will be less than those presented in this assessment. The results of the modelling have been compared to air quality limits of Jordan and those of the World Bank.

In addition, the model sulphur dioxide predictions presented here are the maximum values for a full year of operation on oil-firing. As noted above, the most likely duration of oil-firing is 14 days per year. The probability of these fourteen days coinciding with the hours of worst atmospheric dispersion during the year is low. Consequently the predictions for sulphur dioxide are a very conservative upper estimate and the actual peak concentrations are likely to be substantially lower. For this reason the sulphur dioxide predictions have not been assessed against a standard for daily averages as the likelihood for a full days operation on DFO and the worst case meteorological conditions is slim.

Table 7.8, Table 7.9 and Table 7.10 present the worst case ground level concentrations predicted by the dispersion modelling for the pollutants considered in the scenarios identified. The tables also show the relevant Jordanian/World Bank limits and reports the location and direction of the maximum predicted. The table notes the meteorological data year for which the maximum was observed. Eight isopleths have been prepared for the worst case results: increments to annual average NO2 concentrations (for natural gas); maximum 3rd highest hourly increments to NO2 concentrations (for natural gas and DFO firing) and for DFO firing only maximum 3rd highest hourly average SO2 concentrations and highest daily increments to levels of PM10. These are presented as Figures 7.4 through 7.11.

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TABLE 7.8 ANNUAL AVERAGE GROUND LEVEL CONCENTRATIONS

(μg/m3)

Coordinates Pollutant Increment to ground level concentrations

Guideline

X Y

Distance (m)

Direction (degrees)

Year

NO2 0.8 95 224838.7 3532246 1122 130 2004

TABLE 7.9 SHORT TERM GROUND LEVEL CONCENTRATIONS CCGT OPERATION

(μg/m3)

Coordinates Pollutant Averaging period Increment to ground level

concentrations

Guideline

X Y

Distance (m)

Direction (º)

Year

3rd highest 1 hour 55.9 400 224838.7 3532246 3018 181 2002Gas firing NO2

24 hour maximum 5.8 150 223938.7 3529946 568 82 2002

NO2 3rd highest 1 hour 51.6 400 224538.7 3533046 979 79 2002

SO2 3rd highest 1 hour 743.9 786 223938.7 3529946 3018 181 2002

3rd highest 1 hour 117.8 30160 223938.7 3529946 3018 181 2002CO

3rd highest 8 hour 63.9 10440 224538.7 3533046 568 82 2002

Oil firing

Particulates 24 hour maximum 23.6 70 224538.7 3533046 568 82 2002

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TABLE 7.10 SHORT TERM GROUND LEVEL CONCENTRATIONS BYPASS STACK OPERATION

(μg/m3)


concentrations

Guideline

X Y

Distance (m)

Direction (º)

Year

3rd highest 1 hour 10.6 400 204938.7 3542946 21496 297 2002Gas firing NO2

24 hour maximum 1.9 150 224938.7 3533046 965 85 2002

NO2 3rd highest 1 hour 14.0 400 204938.7 3542946 21496 297 2002

SO2 3rd highest 1 hour 255.6 786 224638.7 3533246 719 67 2002

3rd highest 1 hour 40.4 30160 224638.7 3533246 719 67 2002CO

3rd highest 8 hour 21.7 10440 224838.7 3533146 316 252 2002

Oil firing

Particulates 24 hour maximum 8.7 70 224938.7 3533046 965 85 2002

FIGURE 7.4

FIGURE 7.5

FIGURE 7.6

FIGURE 7.7

FIGURE 7.8

FIGURE 7.9

FIGURE 7.10

FIGURE 7.11



7.1.8 Cumulative impact to air quality

The proposed plant at Amman East will give rise to some extent to a cumulative impact to air quality in conjunction with other pollution sources such as other power stations, refineries and local traffic movements and household fires etc.

The ambient air quality monitoring undertaken for the project will include contributions from the majority of these pollution sources including that arising from local traffic, household fires as well as the principal industrial sources of air pollution in the area ie the Hussain Thermal Power Station and the Jordan Petroleum Refinery as these will have been in operation throughout the monitoring period. This is a far more appropriate way of taking in to consideration impact for these sources than air dispersion modelling as there is none of the uncertainty associated with the modelling process. It is however necessary to consider the cumulative impact associated with the Amman East CCGT and the Samra CCGT plant through modelling as it is understood that this plant was not in operation during the monitoring period.

The Samra plant is located 26 km to the north and east of the Amman East CCGT site and as a result the only times that there can be a significant short term cumulative impact is when the wind direction is from either the south east or north east, dispersing the flue gases from the two plant along a straight line. As the prevailing wind is from the north-east and there is a low frequency of north-easterly and south-westerly the potential for short term cumulative impacts is low.

It is understood from the power station operator that the only significant pollutant emitted from the Samra CCGT is NOx the emissions rate for which is shown in Table 7.6. Comparison of the maximum short term impacts is not easy due to a limitation of the dispersion modelling process which does not allow for a NOx to NO2 conversion factor for emissions from each plant to be built in to the model. However addition of the results from individual short term modelling for each plant can be used to present a likely impossible worst case. The situation with long term averaging periods is different however and annual results from each plant can be added together to present a more realistic assessment of annual cumulative impact to air quality.

There are of course a number of possible operating permutations that could be observed, the modelling results presented therefore show the short term results for the worst case operational scenarios which the modelling found to be that of the two plant operating on DFO. This is considered to be an unlikely event but could occur in the event that the gas pipeline that connects to both sites was interrupted.

With regard to impacts associated with any future development of the Samra power station the details of the plant can only be guessed at, at this stage and it is therefore not considered to be appropriate to include this plant in the modelling. However examination of the isopleths and the maxima predicted would suggest that the sphere of influence of the current Samra plant does not extend in to areas where cumulative impact with the Amman East project would become significant. It is therefore considered that the installation of any additional future plant at Samra would not give rise to a significant impact with regard to the Amman East Project.



Annual results assume that both plants operate on natural gas with the Amman East plant operating for a period of 14 days on DFO. Table 7.11 and Table 7.12 present the worst-case ground level concentrations predicted by the dispersion modelling for the pollutants considered the scenarios identified. The tables also show the relevant Jordanian/World Bank limits and reports the location and direction of the maximum predicted. The table notes the meteorological data year for which the maximum was observed. Two isopleths have been prepared and are provided as Figures 7.12 and 7.13: increments to annual average NO2 concentrations (for natural gas); maximum 3rd highest hourly increments to NO2 concentrations (for natural gas and DFO firing) and 24 hour increments to NO2 concentrations (for natural gas).

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TABLE 7.11 ANNUAL AVERAGE GROUND LEVEL CONCENTRATIONS CCGT OPERATION NO2 FOR AMMAN EAST AND SAMRA

(μg/m3)

Coordinates Pollutant Increment to ground level concentrations

Guideline

X Y

Distance (m)

Direction (degrees)

Year

NO2 0.8 95 224938.7 3532546 1047 114 2002

TABLE 7.12 SHORT TERM GROUND LEVEL CONCENTRATIONS CCGT OPERATION NO2 FOR AMMAN EAST AND SAMRA

(μg/m3)


concentrations X Y

Guideline Distance (m)

Direction (º) Year

3rd highest 1 hour 56.7 223938.7 3529946 400 3018 181 2002 Gas firing NO2

24 hour maximum 6.3 224938.7 3533146 150 979 79 2002

Oil firing NO2 3rd highest 1 hour 52.3 234938.7 3549946 400 3018 181 2002

FIGURE 7.12

FIGURE 7.13



7.1.9 Analysis of results

Key findings

The results of the modelling have been compared to appropriate objectives. Key findings from the analysis are:

• The maximum predicted annual average NO2 concentration for firing on natural gas is 0.8 µg/m3 at a point 1.1 km to the south east of the proposed site to the east of the village of Al-Manakher. This figure represents just 0.8 per cent of the Jordanian limit and World Bank standards. This assumes the plant operates for 14 days per year on DFO.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly NO2 concentration during gas firing is 55.9 µg/m3, which represents 13.9 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 3 km to the south east of the site. During oil firing the maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly average is 51.6 µg/m3 that represents 12.8 per cent of the Jordanian limit.

• The highest 24 hour NO2 concentration during gas firing is 5.8 µg/m3, which represents 3.9 per cent of the World Bank limit and occurs just under 1 km to the north east of the site

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly SO2 concentration during DFO firing is 743.9 µg/m3, which represents 95 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 3 km to the south east of the site. Due to the limited nature of DFO firing it is not appropriate to predict the impact for daily averages for comparison with World Bank standard.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest 24-hour particulate concentration during oil firing is 17.7 µg/m3, which represents 15.5 per cent of the Jordanian limit. The maximum occurs at a point 568 m to the east of the proposed plant. The maximum 24 hourly particulate concentration during oil firing represents 25.3 per cent of the World Bank limit of 70 µg/m3.

• The maximum predicted 3rd highest hourly CO concentration during DFO firing is 117.8 µg/m3, which represents 0.4 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 3 km to the south east of the site. The maximum predicted 3rd highest 8 hour CO concentration during DFO firing is 63.9 µg/m3, which represents 0.6 per cent of the Jordanian limit and occurs 568 m to the south east of the site.

• In all cases the maximum ground level concentrations associated with operation of the plant in OCGT mode are significantly less that those for CCGT operation. IN all but the hourly averaging periods the peak ground level concentrations observed are located within 1 km of the proposed site.

• The cumulative impact assessment of the Amman East and Samra plant does not show a significant cumulative impact associated with the two plant despite the modelling assuming an absolute worst case.



It should be noted that the ground level concentrations of pollutants from the proposed plant cannot simply be added to those for the existing sources in the area since in many instances the location of and prevailing weather conditions of the two maximums will be different.

With regard to the occurrence of long term maxima from the various types of sources the likelihood of them coinciding is high. This is due to the long averaging periods and the variation in meteorological conditions over the averaging period.

However for short term averaging periods there is less likely to be such a coincidence of contributions from several sources. This is due to the weather conditions associated with the maximum from each type of source. Plumes from point sources, such as power station plumes generally provide a maximum increment to ground level concentrations when the weather conditions are warm and/or windy. Conversely the maximums associated with line sources, roads, occur when it is calm, cold and there is a low level inversion. During these times the thermally buoyant plume from a point source will burst through the inversion layer and disperse over a larger area. The inversion layer will severely limit the ability of the plume to ground, once the plume is above it. Therefore the maximum short term concentrations from each source type will not coincide and there will not be a summation combination of the effects of each. It is not therefore reasonable to sum the maximum contribution to ground level concentrations due to the proposed plant in isolation with the existing monitored background level for short term concentrations.

The results of the modelling undertaken have been added to the existing background recorded as part of the ambient air quality monitoring discussed in Section 6.1.1 and are presented below in Table 7.13 for short term scenarios identified. Monitoring information for the annual ambient air quality monitoring results is not yet available but is not considered likely to identify anything other than low annual ground level concentrations for the pollutants monitored.

TABLE 7.13 WORST CASE TOTAL SHORT TERM AVERAGE GROUND LEVEL

CONCENTRATIONS (μg/m3)

Worst case total ground level concentrations

Pollutant Averaging period Guideline CCGT OCGT Cumulative

3rd highest 1 hour 400 1002.1 956.8 1002.9 Gas firing NO2

24 hour maximum 150 97.0 93.1 97.5

NO2 3rd highest 1 hour 400 997.8 960.2 998.5

SO2 3rd highest 1 hour 786 924.7 436.4

3rd highest 1 hour 30160 1973.8 1896.4 CO

3rd highest 8 hour 10440 1513.9 1471.7

Oil firing

Particulates 24 hour maximum 114 184.6 169.7

N/A



The plant will, under normal operation, (ie firing on natural gas) not generate exceedences of the Jordanian and World Bank air quality limits in isolation with the predicted short term ground level concentrations of NO2 never exceeding 14 per cent of the limits for the five years met data considered. During operation on DFO the modelling predicts a generally lower ground level concentration for NO2 than for natural gas and again the levels predicted are insignificant at just 12.8 per cent of the relevant limits.

The predicted annual increments to ground level concentrations of NO2 are insignificant when compared to the Jordanian and World Bank air quality limits.

The ambient air quality data discussed in Section 6.1.1 shows that for the majority of the monitoring period the existing ground level concentrations of NO2 were generally low meaning that the plant should not generate exceedences of air quality limits when the predicted increments to ambient air quality are combined with background concentrations. The worst case ground level concentration identified in Table 4.18 assumes that the plume ground in the same place as the peak concentration recorded and at the same time, something that is statistically very unlikely to occur. It is considered that the plant will make an almost insignificant contribution to the existing NO2 short term background ambient air ground level concentrations.

Ground level concentrations of SO2 predicted during DFO firing are also insignificant when compared to the World Bank and Jordanian air quality limits. The ground level concentrations observed once the plant starts operation are likely to be even less than those predicted as the modelling assumes that the operation of the plant on DFO coincides with the worst case metrological conditions which is statistically unlikely. The worst case ground level concentration identified in Table 7.13 assumes that the plume ground in the same place as the peak concentration recorded and at the same time, something that is statistically very unlikely to occur, especially as the plant will seldom operate on DFO. It is considered that the plant will make an almost insignificant contribution to the existing SO2 short term background ambient air ground level concentrations. In the worst case (i.e. the use of 1.2 per cent sulphur DFO the plant will emit 17.7 tonnes of sulphur per day (less than the 100 tonnes dictated by the World Bank as being acceptable).

Ground level concentrations of PM10’s predicted as a result of the plants operation are also predicted to be insignificant. The ground level concentrations observed once the plant starts operation are likely to be even less than those predicted as the modelling assumes that the operation of the plant on DFO coincides with the worst case metrological conditions which is statistically unlikely. The worst case ground level concentration identified in Table 7.13 assumes that the plume ground in the same place as the peak concentration recorded and at the same time, something that is statistically very unlikely to occur, especially as the plant will seldom operate on DFO. It is considered that the plant will make an almost insignificant contribution to the existing PM10 short term background ambient air ground level concentrations.

Annual ground level concentrations of SO2 and PM10’s will be negligible, as significant quantities of the pollutants would only be emitted during DFO firing.

Operation of the plant in OCGT mode will result in even lower ground level concentrations of NO2, SO2 and PM10’s with the higher exit velocity and temperature aiding the dispersion of the pollutants to a greater degree than for CCGT operation.



There will be no significant cumulative impact associated with the operation of the Amman East and Samra CCGT plant. There is little chance of the plumes from both plants grounding in the same place with regard to a single short term event as the prevailing wind direction is from the north east dispersing the flue gases from each of the plant in a parallel, not linear direction. This prevailing wind direction also reduces any cumulative impact associated with the long term contributions from the two plants as can clearly be seen in Figure 7.12. It is not considered that the plant will have a significant cumulative impact when considered with the Hussein Thermal Power Plant or Jordan Petroleum Refinery as the ambient air quality data recorded at the 2 monitoring sites at Al-Manakher is considered to show that all exceedences encountered are associated with local pollution sources rather than large-scale industrial sources.

In all cases the isopleths show the peak ground level concentrations associated with the plant are small in terms of area with the majority of the area surrounding the plant predicted to suffer a negligible increment to the existing ambient air quality once the plant begins operation.

7.1.10 Mitigation measures and monitoring programmes

7.1.11 Construction

Good site management practices during the construction works will help to prevent the generation of airborne dust. The proponent will require its construction contractors to take sufficient precautionary measures to limit dust generation.

To ensure that atmospheric dust, contaminants or dust deposits generated by the construction do not exceed levels which could constitute a health hazard or nuisance to those persons working on the site or living nearby a dust monitoring programme will be carried out throughout the construction period.

If a potential for dust emissions exists, for example on dry windy days, then the following procedure will be followed:

• materials will be tested for moisture content;

• if material is dry then water will be sprayed on to the working area to suppress dust;

• excavation faces not being worked will, if required, be either sheeted or treated with a chemical dust suppressant;

• in addition all operatives working in areas of potential dust emission will be provided with paper type face masks.

Materials deposited on stockpiles on site will be closely monitored for any possible emission of dust and if required they will be damped down, covered or treated with a dust suppressant. Stock piles would be located away from sensitive receptors where possible.

If finely ground materials are delivered, these should be in bag form or stockpiled in specified locations where the material can be suitably covered.



All vehicles carrying bulk materials into or out of the site will be covered to prevent dust emission. Minimum drop heights will be used during material transfer.

Engines will be switched off when not in use to minimize exhaust emissions. All vehicles will be properly maintained to reduce air emissions

If care is taken dust emissions will not impact on local air quality.

Daily visual inspections will be made to ensure that good practice is employed at all times. Inspections will include monitoring of exit points and the immediate area outside the site entrance. The inspections will be made against the EPC contractors CEMP.

7.1.12 Operation

The following mitigating measures have been included in the design of the proposed plant:

• the use of DLN burners, which ensures NOx levels to be in accordance with Jordanian and World Bank requirements;

• the use of a fuel inherently low in sulphur;

• a stack of sufficient height and flue gases of sufficient temperature and velocity to ensure good dispersion.

These measures, in combination, result in limited increases in background concentrations of oxides of nitrogen, no emissions of particulates and negligible emissions of sulphur dioxide, such that no further measures are deemed necessary.

The proponent will require a manufacturer’s guarantee in place to guarantee the performance of the NOx abatement system. If NOx values are outwith the guarantee value the operation and calibration of the instrument will be checked and, if proved to be accurate, the plant will be examined and the fault corrected.

Emissions will be controlled during operation in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and the limits taking account of the technical guidance available for this type of plant.

Stack emissions will be monitored continuously for NOx, O2 and CO. Flue gas analyses for firing on natural gas and DFO are presented in Table 7.5. Emissions of SO2 will be calculated from the sulphur content of the fuel as unlike the emissions of CO and NOx emissions of SO2 directly correspond with the sulphur present in the fuel supply. Sampling points and safe access adjacent to the continuous monitoring points (located within the stack) will be installed. Such monitoring is inherent in CCGT plant design and does not necessitate additional expense.

Regular observation of chimney emissions will also be made.

It is not proposed that ambient air quality monitoring is undertaken during the plants operation, ie no fixed monitoring station is proposed. In the event that monitoring was requested by the authorities



this would be implemented by the proponent and would cost of the order of $50,000 to install and operate. The system would be fully automatic and only occasionally visited by an engineer to collect data and ensure that the monitor was functioning correctly. Alternatively diffusion tubes could be used to determine a monthly average concentration for SO2 and NOx.

7.1.13 Conclusion

In conclusion, the impact of the atmospheric emissions from the proposed Amman East CCGT will be well within the Jordanian and World Bank limits even when considered in conjunction with the existing Samra CCGT.

The maximum long-term concentrations of NO2 due to the emissions from the proposed Amman East CCGT are low with the predicted long term average NO2 concentration being less that 1 per cent of that allowed by the Jordanian and world bank limits.

The maximum short term concentrations of NO2 from the proposed plant are less than 14 per cent of the Jordanian and World Bank limits. The maximum short-term concentrations of SO2 and particulates are below the applicable limits and will therefore never generate any exceedences of these standards in isolation. The maximum short-term concentrations will not likely coincide with elevated concentrations from other pollutant sources (which are principally related to localized activities).

The cumulative impact associated with operation of the plant along with the operation of the plant at Samra is insignificant.

The construction impacts would potentially comprise emissions of dust and emissions during commissioning. Due to the distance from the proposed site to the nearest house dust impacts will not be noticeable. Emissions during commissioning will be of short duration and low mass; the impact will therefore not be significant.

7.2 Water quality

This Section discusses the proposed plants construction and operation on water quality, discussion of solid wastes are discussed separately in Section 7.3.

7.2.1 Impacts on water quality during construction

A small amount of water will be required each day for the general construction works, this will be taken from either the water supply to be provided by WAJ or from portable water tanks. It is not proposed that water will be removed from on site bore holes or local wells.

Several construction activities could require the disposal of water from the site. The discharge of any effluents during construction, including site drainage, will be the responsibility of the construction contractor, who will be required by the developer to dispose of any construction effluents in a responsible manner. Standard good working practices should ensure that any impacts due to the water discharging from the site would be insignificant.



Should a temporary diesel storage tank be necessary on site during construction, this will be double skinned and contained within a sufficiently sized bund for prevention of releases to the environment. Maintenance of construction machinery will not be allowed on site unless absolutely necessary to help to prevent the accidental leakage of lubricating and hydraulic fluids.

The discharge of any effluents during construction, including site drainage, will be carefully managed. Standard good working practices should ensure that any impacts due to the quality of water discharging from the site are insignificant.

Portable toilets will be provided for use by construction workers with the resulting effluent removed from site for disposal to a sewer or sewage treatment plant. All domestic and solid wastes arising from the construction activities will be collected and removed from site so as to remove any potential source of impact to ground or surface waters.

Storage of construction materials will be in assigned areas and follow standard good working practices. Any disposal of excavated materials will either be off site at an appropriate landfill site or in areas of the site that will not give rise to surface run off during wet periods to local surface water courses. Any on site disposal will be undertaken in such a manner as to minimize the potential for impact to the recharge of aquifers.

The proponent will in accordance with ‘Underground -water Monitoring By-law (No 85,2002)’ report the appearance of underground water to the general secretariat within a 7 days of the appearance date. The potential for this to occur give the depth of the water table at the site is considered to be negligible.

No polluted construction related waste waters will be disposed of to water courses in the area therefore complying with ‘Water Authority's Act (No. 62,2001)’.

7.2.2 Impacts on water quality during operation

All water required by the plant will be provided by the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) who will construct a dedicated pipeline to the Amman East site. The agreement with WAJ will allow the plant to use up to 250 m3 of water per day though the plant may ultimately use less that this during operation. During operation water will only be required on a day to day basis for make-up to the boiler water system and for service water (drinking water etc).

It is not proposed that water will be removed from on site bore holes or local wells and the plant will therefore not impact on the water recourse or water quality of the local community. The quantities of water to be taken from the Jordanian water pipeline network will be easily accommodated by WAJ and will not impact non the availability of water to other users.

The make up water must be of high purity and will be treated in a new water treatment plant. Together with the miscellaneous minor process requirements the total quantity of water required by the plant will be of the order of 2.89 kg/sec.



The raw water will be treated and demineralized on site. The effluent from the water treatment plant will contain salts removed from the raw water, which will provide the make-up to the water treatment plant, and also some additional sodium sulphate produced by neutralization of the spent regenerants.

Water supplies will be required for make-up water for the closed cooling system and the boiler feed water system as well as for service water (drinking and washing water etc). A water treatment plant will be used to treat the water required for use in the heat recovery steam generator.

The water treatment plant will consist of the following: a raw water tank, treated water (demin) storage tanks with a combined capacity of 2000 m3, sand filters, active carbon filters, ion exchange streams, an acid storage tank, a caustic storage tank, an automatic effluent neutralizing system, a control panel and all interconnecting pipe work. The water used for boiler make up will be treated in mixed bed units before being used in the boilers.

Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area. These will include fixed foam protection systems. The plant will therefore not need to store large quantities of water for fire fighting.

On a day-to-day basis, the black start unit to be installed at the site will not require a water supply, nor will there be any continuous process effluents. Intermittent process effluents comprise air compressor wash water and very rarely an effluent from the closed circuit cooling system.

7.2.3 Waste water discharge

Process waste waters (effluents) from the proposed plant are summarized below as are the quantities that represent a worst case that may not ultimately reflect the plants normal day to day operation. These are discussed further in the various sections below.

Boiler blowdown 2.53 kg/sec

Water treatment plant effluent 0.25 kg/sec

Miscellaneous minor process effluents 0.12 kg/sec

If possible some of the boiler blowdown will be recovered and reused in the demineralization plant. The remainder will be discharged to the evaporation pond after treatment. Use of some of this boiler blowdown water may be used for irrigation purposes. This will be considered further in the final plant design.

The surface water from any areas of the site that are likely to be contaminated with oil will drain to oil interceptor(s) to limit the oil in water that is then discharged to the on site evaporation pond.



7.2.4 Boiler water

The boiler water/steam/condensate system has losses from its recycled water due to some deliberate blowdown from the boilers to maintain the correct chemical control. The water required to make up these losses must be of high purity and must therefore be treated in a water treatment plant.

Although of high purity, the feed water entering the boilers will contain small amounts of impurities. As the water in the boiler is evaporated the impurities become concentrated in the boiler water system. To ensure that these impurities do not cause corrosion or scaling of the boiler heat transfer surfaces, treatment chemicals will be added to the boiler.

In addition, the concentration of the impurities is controlled by discharging some of the boiler water, either continuously or intermittently. This water is the “boiler blowdown”. The blowdown water is replaced by fresh, treated water added to the boiler circuit. As the feed water will be of high purity the quantity of blowdown discharged from the boiler will be small, of the order of 2.53 kg/sec. The blowdown is discharged at boiler temperature and pressure.

Some of the blowdown flashes off to steam in the boiler blowdown vessel thus reducing the volume still further to about 1.69 kg/sec. If possible some of the boiler blowdown will be reused by recycling through the water treatment plant. It is virtually pure water containing very small quantities of various corrosion and scaling prevention chemicals in the boilers (for example, ammonia, phosphate and suspended solids).

A typical analysis of boiler blowdown from CCGT plant is:

Conductivity 50 µS/cm

pH 10

Ammonia as NH3 1 mg/l

Phosphate as PO4 5 mg/l

7.2.5 The water treatment plant

The water treatment plant will treat town’s water to a quality suitable for use in the HRSG.

The water treatment plant will consist of a raw water tank, treated water (demin) storage tanks with a combined capacity of 2000 m3, sand filters, active carbon filters, ion exchange streams, an acid storage tank, a caustic storage tank, an automatic effluent neutralizing system, a control panel and all interconnecting pipe work. The water used for boiler make up will be treated in mixed bed units before being used in the boilers.

The treatment process to be used involves sand filters, active carbon filters prior to reverse osmosis followed by the exchanging of cations in the supply (calcium, magnesium, sodium, etc) for hydrogen ions by using cation exchange resins and then exchanging the anions in the decationized water



(sulphate, chloride, carbonate, silicate, etc) for hydroxyl ions by using anion exchange resins. When the resins are exhausted the resin beds are backwashed, regenerated with dilute acid (for the cation resin) and with dilute caustic soda (for the anion resin), rinsed to remove any excess regenerant and returned to service.

The quantity of effluent produced per day from the water treatment plant will be of the order of 0.25 kg/sec.

The water treatment plant effluent will contain the salts removed from the town’s water with some additional sodium sulphate produced by neutralization of the spent regenerants.

The quantity of town’s water required by the water treatment plant to supply boiler water make-up will be about 2.78 kg/sec.

7.2.6 Site drainage

There will be no drains located within any of the bunded tanks and all valves and couplings will be within the bunded areas. In the event of leakage or spillage from any oil storage tank any oil will be contained within the bund surrounding the tank. Any oil found in the bund will be removed for disposal to an appropriate disposal site.

There will be four drainage systems on site; the surface water drainage system; the oily water drainage system; the contaminated waste water system (i.e. water treatment plant effluent); and the sewerage system.

The surface water drainage system will drain areas of the site unlikely to be contaminated with oil and discharge the water to the wadi to the north-west of the site. The majority of the surface water drainage will be uncontaminated and typical of surface water run off from areas of hardstanding and roads. As the proposed plant will discharge to an on site evaporation pond the project will not increase the risk of flooding in areas down stream of the neighbouring wadi.

Flood water in the wadi is dependent on the storms which occur during the rainy season from October to May. These flash floods could impact on the plant infrastructure and its workers. The project will be designed taking this phenomenon in to account.

An oily waste water drainage system will drain all areas where oil spillages could occur. The design will incorporate oil interceptors and traps. This will discharge with the other surface water discharge to the storm water drains. The discharge from each oil interceptor will contain no visible oil or grease and will be sent to the on site evaporation pond.

The areas liable to oil spillage are:

• the oil unloading area adjacent to the lubricating oil and DFO storage tanks;

• the turbine and HRSG drainage areas;

• the black start diesel generator drainage areas;



• the electrical transformers (which may contain insulating oil, if so this will be PCB free);

• the areas surrounding the bunded lubricating oil and DFO storage tanks (the bunds themselves will not have any drainage connections);

• the car parking areas.

Adequate facilities for the inspection and maintenance of oil interceptors will be provided and the interceptors will be regularly emptied and desludged to ensure efficient operation. A qualified contractor will dispose of the sludge off-site.

The contaminated water drainage system will collect all process effluents, (basically the water treatment plant effluent and any miscellaneous plant drains) and discharge these to the contaminated water treatment plant.

The sewage will be collected and treated in the sewage treatment plant. The resulting water will be discharged to the on site evaporation pond with any resulting sludge removed to a sludge collection pond prior to removal by road tanker for disposal at an appropriate disposal site.

All elements of the treatment systems will be regularly monitored to ensure optimum performance and maintenance.

An oil spill or chemical spill is recognized as being the principal environmental emergency that could arise at the station. Emergency response plans will be developed as follows:

• emergency procedures for sulphuric acid tanks

• emergency procedures for caustic soda (sodium hydroxide solution) tanks

• emergency procedures for carbohydrazide and ammonia tanks

• emergency procedures in the event of a spill of DFO or lubricating oil.

There are no processes involving the storage or handling of any other hazardous substances on site.

7.2.7 Miscellaneous discharges

From time to time it will be necessary to wash the blades of the air compressor section of the gas turbines to remove debris that has penetrated the inlet air filters and become lodged on the compressor blades. This will be done at times when the performance of the gas turbines has degraded and will depend upon the air quality in the vicinity of the plant. Washing can be done in two ways: by on-line washing where a fine spray of water is allowed to pass through the gas turbine; or by off-line washing where the compressor blades are rotated slowly through a detergent solution. In the second case approximately 15 m3 per unit of waste water containing detergent will be produced and discharged to the oily waste separation pond and oil separators prior to discharge to an on site chemical waste water storage pond. Sludge removed in the oily waste separation pond will be removed by road tanker and disposed of at an appropriate land fill site.



Boiler flue gas side washing is not anticipated. However, during commissioning and at infrequent intervals during the life of the plant it will be necessary to chemically clean the water side of the boiler tubes. All effluents will be tankered off site by a licensed contractor for treatment and disposal at an appropriately licensed disposal facility.

During maintenance it may be necessary to drain down the boiler, the closed circuit cooling water system or parts of these systems. All such wastes will be discharged to the evaporation pond after treatment. The boiler water will be identical to boiler blowdown and will be high purity water containing traces of ammonia, phosphate and suspended solids. The closed circuit cooling water will be high purity water containing small amounts of corrosion inhibitor (probably carbohydrazide). During the detailed engineering of the plant, consideration will be given to the storage, recovery and re-use of these effluents for eg on site irrigation.

Sample points will be provided on the water treatment plant effluent, outlet of the oil separators, and in any plant drains prior to discharge.

The CCGT process generates no solid wastes. Solid wastes generated on the site will include domestic and commercial waste (paper etc), miscellaneous waste produced during maintenance (including air filters, ion exchange resins), sludge removed from oil separators and clarifier tanks and any deposits removed from the boilers during maintenance.

7.2.8 Water resources contamination

The plant design discussed above will ensure that the potential for contamination of groundwater resources in the area is negligible. All evaporation ponds will be appropriately bunded to ensure that no water leaches in to the ground.

The only discharge to surface waters is that of surface water from areas that are not likely to be contaminated by oils etc. The impact of this will be minimal and these will be designed to ensure that there is no significant increased risk of flooding to communities down stream.

The plant will have no impact to the watershed of the surrounding area.

7.2.9 Flood risk

There is a risk of flash floods in the Amman East Area which occur during the rainy season which lasts from October to May.

Flash floods have to potential to undermine foundations resulting in structural damage to the plant infrastructure as well as potentially overwhelming any on site drainage system. To ensure that the plant is not impacted on by such weather events the project will be designed taking in to consideration the likely worst case weather conditions.



7.2.10 Impact on other water users

The project will have no impact on other water users as the project will take water directly from the WAJ water supply and not from wells or boreholes in the vicinity of the project. The water to be used has been made available by WAJ and is a guaranteed supply dedicated specifically to the project. As a new pipeline is to be installed to bring the water to site there will be no impact to the water supply and distribution network in the project area.

7.2.11 Impact of gas and water pipeline

There will be some disturbance of soil in the immediate area around the pipelines due to excavation and due to compaction. It is however not expected that the creation of a trench 1.5 metres deep will have no impact on hydrology.

The area through which the pipeline will pass is characterized by minor faults that intersect with the gas pipeline, which are exposed on the ground surface while sand or alluvial deposits cover other faults.

It is considered that the company should take appropriate protection measures for the pipeline during its design and construction at intersection locations with faults of potential seismic activity.

To reduce the impacts of flooding on the pipeline it should be protected against flash floods taking in to consideration soil type and ground stability.

The aquifer in the pipeline route is deep (+140 m); therefore, it is not anticipated to have any major impacts on the ground water quality. During construction and maintenance it should be ensured that any fuel storage is suitably bunded to minimize the risk of contamination of ground waters. Maintenance of machinery etc should not be allowed other than in designated maintenance areas.

7.2.12 Mitigating measures and monitoring programmes

7.2.12.1 Construction

Mitigation measures during construction may include, as appropriate:

Construction contractor to dispose of any construction effluents in a responsible manner.

DFO storage tanks to be located on an impervious base provided with bund walls to give a containment capacity of at least 110 per cent of the tank volume. All valves and couplings to be contained within the bunded area.

Portable toilets will be provided during the construction period with any waste tankered of site and disposed of in an appropriate manner.



Any surface water contaminated by hydrocarbons, which are used during the construction phase, to be passed through oil/grit interceptor(s) prior to collection and removal off site to an appropriate disposal site.

Spill kits will be kept on site to clean up any spills of fuels or oils. Spills would be reported and responded to as quickly as possible.

Measures to be taken to ensure that no leachate or any surface water that has the potential to be contaminated to be allowed to enter directly or indirectly any water course, underground strata or adjoining land.

Provisions to be made so that any existing drainage systems continue to operate.

Disposal of excavated materials will either be off site at an appropriate landfill site or in areas of the site that will not give rise to surface run off during wet periods.

Water inflows to excavated areas to be minimized by the use of lining materials, good house keeping techniques and by the control of drainage and construction materials in order to prevent the contamination of ground water. Site personnel to be made aware of the potential impact on ground and surface water associated with certain aspects of the construction works to further reduce the incidence of accidental impacts.

Refuelling of construction vehicles and equipment to be restricted to a designated area with properly designed fuel tanks and bunds and proper operating procedures.

No materials will be disposed of in the wadi to the north-west of the site.

Maintenance of construction machinery will not be allowed on site unless absolutely necessary to help to prevent the accidental leakage of lubricating and hydraulic fluids.

7.2.12.2 Operation

All oil and chemical storage tanks and areas where drums are stored will be surrounded by an impermeable bund. Single tanks will be within bunds sized to contain 110 per cent of capacity and multiple tanks or drums will be within bunds sized to contain 110 per cent of the capacity of the largest tank. Permanently fixed taps, filler pipes, pumping equipment, vents and sight glasses will also be located within the bunded area. Taps and valves will be designed to discharge downwards and will be shut and locked in that position. Manually started electrically operated pumps will remove surface water collected within the bund and its composition will be verified prior to disposal. Daily visual inspection of bunded areas will be made to ensure the effectiveness of these systems.

An oily waste water drainage system will drain all areas where oil spillages could occur. The design will incorporate oil interceptors and traps. These will discharge with the other surface water discharge to the storm water discharge system. The discharge from each oil interceptor will contain no visible oil or grease.



Adequate facilities for the inspection and maintenance of oil interceptors will be provided and the interceptors will be regularly emptied and desludged to ensure efficient operation. A qualified contractor will dispose of the sludge off-site.

Any waste oils will be removed by a licence contractor to and disposed of at an appropriate disposal site in the event that the oil cannot be recovered/reused/recycled.

All evaporation ponds will be appropriately bunded to ensure that no water leaches in to the ground.

Disposal of the sludge from the clarifier will be undertaken by an appropriate contractor and disposed of off site at an appropriate disposal site. The majority of this sludge will likely consist sewage and aluminium hydroxide and so can be disposed of at a local sewage treatment plant.


Designated waste areas will be used to store the minimal amounts of waste (principally office wastes generated by the plant.

The plant will be designed taking into consideration the danger of flash floods. This may include such measures as construction of a diversion channel or berm surrounding the plant facilities.

Emergency response plans will be developed for the leaking of any hazardous substances stored/used on site.

7.2.12.3 Decommissioning

A site closure plan will be prepared for the plant as it approaches the end of its lifetime that will include consideration of the best way to manage waste water issues using the best engineering practise at the time.

7.2.13 Conclusion

The discharge of any effluents during construction, including site drainage, will be the responsibility of the construction contractor, who will be required by the developer to dispose of any construction effluents in a responsible manner. Standard good working practices should ensure that any impacts due to the water discharging from the site would be insignificant.

During operation the water will be supplied from the town’s water supply, there will be no abstraction from local water courses. The only discharge to local water resources will be surface (rain) water to the wadi to the north-west of the site that will not present a significant impact.

The plant will comply with all relevant Jordanian legislation and World Bank guidance with regard to water use and quality.

The environmental impact of the Amman East CCGT Power Station on water resources is not considered to be significant.



7.3 Geology, soils and wastes

7.3.1 Construction impacts

The site will be levelled prior to the commencement of the main construction works associated with the power station. Reuse excavated material within the site boundary where practicable which would reduce the volume of excavated material going off site to landfill.

The construction area will be delineated and measures taken to avoid vehicle use outside the working boundary. Vegetation, topsoil and subsoil will be removed to expose a suitable sub-grade and the excavated soils will be stockpiled for use in the re-instatement of the site with any remainder removed from site or spread across the site surface and reseeded with suitable planting.

The roads and hard surfaces will be constructed to appropriately manage drainage of surface water.

A temporary site compound and laydown area would be constructed for the parking of construction vehicles and equipment, staff vehicles, and the storage of materials and components. This area would be roughly equivalent to the area of the main power plant footprint and could easily be accommodated with in the site boundary.

Dust creation will be minimized through the use of bowsers as necessary to protect the health of the local population.

In the unlikely event that soils are brought to site these will be tested for their chemical concentrations to ensure that contaminative materials are not being introduced to the area.

Concrete and cement will be brought to site in order to create the plant foundations. Concrete and cement are very alkaline and corrosive and can cause pollution of watercourses. Care will be taken to ensure that run off from construction activities using concrete does not reach the wadi to the west of the site and result in any contamination of local surface waters.

There is a potential for spills/leakage of oil associated with the construction machinery and vehicles. The storage of fuel, equipment and construction materials will be designed so as to minimize the risk of soil contamination or water pollution for example through the use of bunds, drip trays and oil interceptors. Storage of fuel would be limited and secure. Temporary diesel storage tanks will be double skinned or contained with an impermeable bund of an adequate size.

Construction machinery will be checked regularly. Any maintenance required should occur over hardstanding or on a suitable impermeable ground cover. Refuelling will be limited to a designated area, on an impermeable surface, away from any drains or watercourses. Spill kits, absorbent pigs and absorbent sands will be available on site at all times. Any spills will be cleaned up as soon as possible.



7.3.2 Impact of gas and water pipeline

The gas and water pipelines will travel a relatively short distances to site and the intervening land is not considered to represent any significant difficulties with regard to the existing ground conditions.

The intervening land is similar to that of the Amman East site and does not appear to represent an important habitat for local flora or fauna.

It is not considered that the ground conditions in the project area are likely to mean the gas pipeline will cause an unacceptable impact to ground conditions in the area which it ultimately passes through.

7.3.3 Operation

During operation there will be no impacts to on-site soils. There is the potential for impacts to the general chemistry of regional soils as a result of air emissions from the plant (acid deposition).

Only relatively small quantities of potentially hazardous substances will be stored and used at the site including DFO, lubricating oils and greases etc. No significant problems are anticipated in dealing with any of these substances. As has been discussed in Section 5 storage areas will be suitably bunded to ensure that these chemicals cannot escape to soils and ground waters.

Transformers are sealed units, with negligible leakages. The transformer oils will not contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Disposal of all waste materials generated on site from metal wastes to office refuse, whether hazardous or not, will only be via appropriate and authorized routes.

As with any concrete foundation, there is the potential if the foundations are in contact with a water supply, which can attack the surface structure of the concrete, for leaching of calcium carbonate ie lime. Alternatively, concrete leaching can occur when the concrete mix used is not of sufficient grade to resist any contaminants, which can attack the concrete surface.

Sulphate, pH and magnesium testing will be undertaken by the selected contractor. Establishing the concentration of corrosive and organic contaminants such as these allows the identification of the appropriate concrete such that the concrete mix specified will resist corrosive attack.

Deposition of NO2, SO2 and PM10 during the plants operational life will have an insignificant impact to local soils an geology.

A feature of the gas turbine technology, on which the proposed power station is based, is that the discharges to the land are minimal and would be restricted to the following:

• used gas turbine air intake filters (typically replaced annually);

• used ion exchange resins (typically replaced at 5 year intervals);

• separated oil/sludge from oil/water separators;



• used oil or chemical containers;

• general office waste.

These wastes would be returned to the original supplier where possible or removed by an appropriate licensed contractor and disposed of in an appropriate manner. A summary of the expected quantities of these wastes is provided in Table 7.14.

TABLE 7.14 TYPICAL WASTE ARISINGS

Material Expected annual quantity

Used spill kit material, oily rags etc 1 m³

General office waste 5 m³

Compressor wash fluid 15 m³

Used insulation material 20 m³

Waste mineral oil 10 m³

Scrap metal 5 tonnes

Waste fuel oil 1 m³

Laboratory waste 50 kg

separated oil/sludge 5 m³

Ion exchange resin about 5 m3 every 5 years

7.3.4 Decommissioning

The impacts on surface and ground water quality during decommissioning will be temporary and minor in nature would be similar to those described above for construction.

At the end of the useful life of the power station, in approximately 25-30 years, the plant will be decommissioned in accordance with legislative guidelines current at that time. Alternatively, if market conditions and/or electricity supply constraints at that time indicate that it would be appropriate to extend the life of the plant, then decommissioning may be deferred to a later date. In order to ensure continuing adequate plant conditions and environmental performance, the plant would be re-engineered and re-permitted as required, dependent of the legislative requirements at that time.

Independently validated plant closure/demolition methodologies have been developed for power plants that are at the end of their useful life. The methodology covers demolition of the plant and buildings and removal of any contaminated and hazardous material from the site. When demolishing the power plant, it will be a matter of policy to ensure that the site is left with no environmental risks.



In order to facilitate decommissioning much of the plant on site will be made of materials suitable for recycling. In addition a large proportion of the buildings will be constructed of pre-fabricated steel and will therefore also be of interest to a scrap metal merchant. After the removal of the main items of plant and steel buildings the remaining buildings will be demolished to ground level. All underground structures will either be removed or made safe. All debris to be removed offsite will be sent to a licensed disposal facility.

The decommissioning phase is likely to take place over several months.

The results of the pre-construction contaminated land survey will be used as a basis for a further contaminated land survey to be performed when the plant is closed to assess whether or not any contamination of the site has taken place during the lifetime of the plant. The site will be returned to a condition suitable for reuse.

A full environmental departure audit will be carried out. This will examine, in detail, all potential environmental risks existing at the site and make comprehensive recommendations for remedial action to remove such risks. Following completion of the demolition, a final audit will be carried out to ensure that all remedial work has been completed. The audit reports will be made available to future users of the site.

During decommissioning all reasonable measures required to prevent any future pollution of the site will be carried out. This will include measures such as:

• the emptying/cleaning and removal of storage tanks

• the removal from site of all materials/liquids liable to cause contamination.

The surface water drainage system for plant will continue to operate through the decommissioning phase. Any areas where oil spillage could occur will continue to drain to an oil interceptor, which will continue to be maintained.

The sites subsequent use would be discussed with the local authorities as part of the decommissioning process.

7.3.5 Conclusion

The environmental impact of the proposed plant to geology and soils is not considered to be significant.

As the site has not been used for industrial purposes in the past the likelihood of encountering significant soil contamination during the construction works and the associated potential of exposing these to the human and natural environment will be negligible.

The proponent will ensure throughout the plant construction, operation and decommissioning stages that emission to soils and ground waters are negligible though good engineering practises ensuring that the plant has an in significant impact to these receptors.



7.4 Noise and vibration

7.4.1 Overall approach

The following impact assessment focuses on five noise sensitive receptor (NSR) locations in close proximity to the power station, and eleven site boundary locations. Existing baseline conditions at each location have been determined by an attended noise survey.

A prediction of the impact during construction is undertaken following the methodology of BS 5228 1997: Noise and Vibration Control on Construction sites, and information regarding the noise output of specific items of plant contained therein. The noise and vibration impacts during operation are predicted using a noise propagation model, using typical values for the proposed plant items, and considering directional and screening effects.

This section also suggests noise limits for the proposed power station, and recommends mitigation options to control construction and operational impacts.

7.4.2 Legislative framework

In the ‘Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook’ issued by the World Bank Group in July 1998 , noise limits for new installations are set out. These are considered to be the most appropriate limits for the proposed installation and are summarized below in Table 7.15. Additionally, it is stated in the handbook that an increase of up to 3 dB above the existing background levels outside the project property boundary is considered acceptable.

TABLE 7.15 WORLD BANK NOISE LIMITS

Maximum LAeq, dB Receptor

Day (07:00-22:00) Night (23:00-07:00)

Residential, institutional, educational 55 45

Industrial, commercial 70 70

The following table lists the highest permissible LAeq limits for residential areas. The project noise limit chosen for use in this assessment is the ‘Residential in urban’ with a maximum night time LAeq of 40 dB.



TABLE 7.16 NOISE PREVENTIONS AND LIMITATIONS INSTRUCTIONS PARAGRAPH (D)

ISSUED IN ACCORDANCE TO ACT NO (1)/2003 AND NOISE LEVEL CONTROL REGULATION FOR 1997

Highest Permissible Limits of Equivalent Sound Level (dB(A))

Area

Day Night

Residential in urban 60 50

Residential in sub-urban 55 45

Residential in rural 50 40

Industrial 75 65

The following guidance is used for the assessment:

• BS 7445: 1991 'Description and Measurement of Environmental Noise' Parts 1 to 3, BSI

• BS 5228: 1997 'Noise and vibration control on construction and open sites' Parts 1 to 4, BSI

BS 7445 'Description and Measurement of Environmental Noise' defines and prescribes best practice during recording and reporting of environmental noise. It is inherently applied in all instances when making environmental noise measurements.

BS 5228 'Noise and vibration control on construction and open sites' gives recommendations for basic methods of noise and vibration control relating to construction sites and other open sites where construction activities are carried out. It offers a methodology for predicting noise levels from construction sites.

7.4.3 Construction noise

Construction activity inevitably leads to some degree of noise disturbance at locations in close proximity to the construction activities. It is however a temporary source of noise. The noise levels generated by construction activities would have the potential to impact upon nearby noise sensitive receptors. Noise levels at any one location will vary as different combinations of plant machinery are used, and throughout the construction of the proposed plant as the construction activities and locations change. However, these would depend upon a number of variables, the most significant of which include the following:

• the noise generated by plant or equipment used on site, generally expressed as sound power levels;

• the periods of time construction plant is active;



• the distance between the noise source and the receptor;

• the level of attenuation likely due to ground absorption, air absorption and barrier effects.

Construction noise predictions can be made based on the methodology outlined in BS 5228: 1997 'Noise and vibration control on construction and open sites'. Construction noise levels are predicted as a ‘free field’ equivalent continuous noise level averaged over a one-hour period (LAeq,1h), and then subsequently averaged over a 12-hour working day to give the LAeq,12h.

In the absence of specific information regarding the proposed construction plant and activities, it is possible to assess the potential construction noise impacts using the methodology set out in BS 5228 in conjunction with general information regarding proposed activities.

Table 7.17 displays the estimated sound pressure levels from various items of plant and construction equipment at a distance of 250 m. This is the distance from the centre of the power plant site to the nearest sensitive receptor. The daytime project noise limit of 50 dB(A) at the sensitive receptors has been used in this assessment.

TABLE 7.17 EXAMPLE SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS ASSOCIATED

WITH TYPICAL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

Construction activity/ associated plant

Typical A-weighted sound pressure level

(LA) at 10m

Estimated sound pressure level (LA) at

250m

Site preparation

Dozer 75 47

Tracked excavator 78 50

Wheeled backhoe loader 68 40

Excavation

Dozer 81 53

Tracked excavator 79 51

Loading lorry 80 52

Articulated dump truck 81 53

Rolling and compaction

Roller 79 51

Vibratory plate 80 52

Piling

Hydraulic hammer rig 89 61

Large rotary bored piling rig 83 55



Construction activity/ associated plant

Typical A-weighted sound pressure level

(LA) at 10m

Estimated sound pressure level (LA) at

250m

Welding/cutting steel

Welder (welding piles) 73 45

Generator for welder 57 29

Cutter (cutting piles) 68 40

Other

Large lorry concrete mixer 77 49

Concrete pump (discharging)

67 39

Tower crane 77 49

The estimated sound pressure levels shown are worst-case estimates based on propagation attenuation only, and do not consider any screening, directivity or absorptive effects. Considering the temporary and changing nature of the proposed construction work, and without the exact plant items specified for use, it is not possible to predict precise levels at the NSR locations. However, it is likely that residents may experience an increase in noise levels above the daytime project limit of 50 dB(A) during construction of the power plant.

AES will require its appointed contractor to minimize the impact of construction activities through successful implementation of an agreed Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) and proper communication with local residents (refer to Section 7.4.6.1).

7.4.4 Construction vibration

Some construction activities can be a source of ground-borne vibration, which can be a cause for concern at the nearest receptors. Typical activities that would lead to vibration effects include compaction, breaking and piling.

The impact at the nearest properties from any vibration activities is a function of the vibration source and the propagation path to the receptor. Due to the relatively short distances involved, it is possible that construction vibration will be noticeable at the receptor locations.

7.4.4.1 Impact of gas and water pipeline

Noise levels during construction of the gas and water pipelines would be limited to that generated by earth moving activities and from vehicles and machinery and would be typical of construction equipment. All potentially noisy machinery would have to operate within any relevant Jordanian regulations. The lack of residential receptors in the area should help to minimize the impact of the construction activities.



7.4.5 Predicted impacts during operation

7.4.5.1 Operational noise

The prediction of noise levels at the nearest sensitive receptors is based on an acoustic propagation model. The model has been created to estimate the contribution to noise levels from each major identified plant source, with a 40 dB(A) night time limit at the closest NSR locations. Corrections have been applied to account for:

• Distance propagation

• Directivity effects

• Screening effects due to existing buildings or plant, or other proposed on-site structures

• Ground effects

The model is intended to provide a worst-case assessment of the noise level likely to be experienced at each NSR location. A number of assumptions are made with regards to the noise control likely to be installed on major plant items, and these are stated below.

The following assumptions with regards to noise control have been made:

• Gas turbines are to be housed in individual acoustic enclosures, of heavy construction, specified at 85 dB(A) Sound Pressure Level at 1m. In turn, these are housed within the Turbine Hall.

• Gas turbine filter and ventilation apertures are to be fitted with high performance silencers, and designed such that they face towards the existing plant or towards new plant such that all sensitive receptors benefit from screening and/or directivity corrections.

• Due to the impracticality of screening stack noise, discharge noise will be controlled using high performance silencers tuned to attenuate low frequencies from the gas turbine exhausts.

• Unit transformers and generator transformers will be housed in an appropriate enclosure or three sided pen, to provide full screening to noise sensitive receptors.

• The model considers normal operational noise. As such, noise due to non-normal operation plant items have not been considered.

Appendix H shows the calculation and output of the noise model. It includes a summary table showing the assumed sound power data for the major plant items, a breakdown of the predicted contribution from each noise source, and the overall predicted noise level due to plant noise, at each NSR location.



TABLE 7.18 SUMMARY OF PREDICTED NOISE LEVELS AND BACKGROUND NOISE

LEVELS AT EACH NOISE SENSITIVE RECEPTOR LOCATION

NSR location Predicted noise level due

to proposed plant (dB(A))

Lowest recorded night

time background level LAeq

(dB(A))

dB Level increase

Location 1 - 29 33 0





The predicted noise levels at NSR locations 2, 3 and 4 in the Table 7.18 show noise levels above the lowest recorded background level. However, the only predicted exceedence of the night time project limit of 40 dBLAeq is NSR location 5. The exceedence at this location is by 1 dB which is of marginal significance.

An assessment has been made using the project noise limits for the site in order to minimize potentially disruptive noise levels impacting on residential areas. To minimize the likelihood of complaints, the equipment procured for use in the installation will need to be specified to ensure that the project limits are met. The contract will need to be written to ensure that the contractor achieves the night time project limit of 40 dB(A) at the nearest sensitive receptor. This is NSR location 5, a distance of approximately 250 m from the centre of the installation site.

CCGT plant and auxiliary equipment specified for use:

• CCGT gas turbine × 2

• air intakes × 2

• exhaust stacks × 2

• gas receiving station

• air cooled condensers

• water treatment plant

• black start diesel generator

• generator transformers.



7.4.5.2 Operational vibration

It is predicted that on site vibration sources will include the following:

• balanced rotating equipment, such as turbines;

• wind induced vibrations in the tall buildings and structures, if any, to be transmitted to the foundations.

It is not anticipated that the level of induced vibration will be sufficient to propagate to the nearest sensitive receptors, the closest of which is approximately 250 m from the centre of the proposed site. Hence the impact of operational vibration is not assessed further.

7.4.6 Noise and vibration control measures

7.4.6.1 Control of construction noise

In order to keep noise impacts from the construction phase to a minimum, all construction activities would be carried out in accordance with the recommendations of BS 5228. In addition, the following mitigation measures would be implemented through the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP):

• all vehicles and mechanical plant used for construction would be fitted with effective exhaust silencers, and regularly maintained.

• inherently quiet plant would be used where appropriate. All major compressors would be sound-reduced models fitted with properly lined and sealed acoustic covers which would be kept closed whenever the machines are in use, and all ancillary pneumatic percussive tools would be fitted with mufflers or silencers of the type recommended by the manufacturers.

• all ancillary plant such as generators, compressors and pumps would be positioned so as to cause minimum noise disturbance. If necessary, temporary acoustic barriers or enclosures would be provided.

7.4.6.2 Control of operational noise

While planning noise limits will be agreed with the relevant authorities, plant operators should aim to better these limits and reduce noise emissions as far as possible. The following measures would serve to continually monitor and minimize the impact of noise from the proposed power plant:

• A computer model of the proposed plant items should be produced at the detailed design stage, to calculate the predicted noise levels at the NSR locations, and ensure that planning limits are adhered to. Detailed design will ensure that site noise is mitigated as far as possible, through site layout and orientation of noisy plant items.



• Since tonal or impulsive noises are considered more annoying than continuous noise sources, plant items should be silenced or otherwise controlled through regular maintenance to ensure no such emissions are audible at NSR locations.

• Inherently quiet plant items should be selected wherever practicable. In addition to the noise control measures mentioned above high performance silencers should be fitted to achieve maximum noise attenuation on plant including gas turbine and HRSG inlets and ductwork. Acoustic lagging and low noise trims will be fitted to all pipe-work and noise generating steam valves.

• High performance acoustic enclosures should be considered for all plant items where practicable, not overlooking smaller plant items such as compressors and pumps.

• Internal surfaces within the turbine hall should be treated to control internal reverberant noise levels. An appropriate treatment would consist of dense mineral wool panel behind perforated sheet steel, or a spray on cellulose fibre treatment.

• Although black-start and 'normally-off' plant items have not been included in the modelling of normal plant operation, these should be afforded the same level of noise control as all other plant.

• Provisions to be put in place for the monitoring of noise at sensitive receptors (on and off site) in the event that there is a complaint or reason for concern. Site walkover surveys and occasional noise monitoring at sensitive receptors will be undertaken as deemed appropriate. Any monitoring undertaken would use either a hand held or temporary monitoring device.

7.4.7 Conclusion

The impact of construction noise is not predicted to be significant due to the distances between the proposed construction site and the noise sensitive receptors, and due to the temporary and changing nature of the noise source.

The impact of predicted operational noise has been assessed for the proposed plant against background noise levels obtained during the attended noise survey. It is predicted that the noise impact at noise sensitive receptor location 5 would be marginally above the night time project limit of 40 dB(A) . This location is the closest of the NSR’s to the site boundary, at a distance of 20 m.

The level of noise control that will be provided on this project is extensive and has been based on achieving the suggested limits of 40 dB(A) at the nearest residential sensitive receptor. The noise model used in this assessment has predicted the likelihood of a 1 dB exceedence to the night time project limit of 40 dB(A) at the closest noise sensitive receptor to the site boundary. It is noted that this is a worst case noise level assuming that 100 per cent of plant equipment will be running during the night. The predicted noise level increase of 1 dB is not considered to be significant.



7.5 Visual impact

The visual impact of the proposed plant is discussed below for both the construction and operational phases.

7.5.1 Visual impact during construction

Throughout the construction period associated with each stage the proposed site will have the appearance of a typical construction site. The construction site will be screened to an extent by the undulating topography of the area.

The project will seek to use construction equipment such as cranes etc that will be sized so as to serve their intended use without presenting an overly intrusive visual impact.

The contractor will be required to provide areas for the disposal of wastes during the construction period so as to prevent these escaping to the surrounding area and becoming unsightly.

7.5.1.1 Construction impacts of the gas and water pipelines

There will be only a minimal visual impact during construction due to the presence of construction workers and their vehicles and the machinery associated with laying the pipeline.

7.5.2 Visual impact during operation

The substantial buildings envisaged on site are the turbine hall, 2 x heat recovery steam generators (HRSG’s) control room and storage tanks. The remaining plant and equipment will, in the main, be housed in relatively low buildings, of the order of 3 to 6 m in height. The tallest structure on site will be the 50 m stacks.

The indicative dimensions of the main items of plant will be of the order of the following:

TABLE 7.19 PLANT DIMENSIONS (m)

Height Length Breadth

Turbine hall 21 64 30

HRSG × 2 26 15 9.8

Steam turbine building 20 45 30

Air cooled condenser 30.5 76 67.5



Height Diameter

Distillate fuel oil tanks ( × 2) 16.4 34

CCGT stack × 2 45 5.8

Bypass stack × 2 45 6.4

Non-visual characteristics of a development can also affect people’s perception of a landscape, however, in this case, there will be no odour associated with the plant and no visible emissions from the stack.

The plant shall be designed to withstand extreme ambient conditions to which it may be exposed and to continue to function normally, within appropriate range of derating factors to account for such ambient conditions. The external structures of the buildings will be designed such that there will be no deterioration in the power station’s appearance over the 30 years lifetime of the plant with steel structures of the plant painted with surface protected suitable for local conditions in accordance with the standards and practices of the Steel Structures Painting Council.

The stacks will be designed to be of sufficient height to maximize dispersion of the atmospheric pollutants arising from the plant, whilst being as low as possible to minimize adverse visual impact. The height of 45 m has been determined through the use of atmospheric dispersion modelling taking into consideration the impact of the proposed plant in isolation.

7.5.3 Assessment of visual impact

The significance of the landscape effects due to a development may be considered to reflect the extent to which the proposal is compatible with the character and perceived quality of the local landscape. A range of factors including the scale of the local landform, the pattern of landscape features and general sensitivity of the landscape in relation to the scale and layout of the proposed plant will influence the degree of compatibility.

Accordingly the assessment considers the baseline characteristics of the landscape, the extent of predicted visibility and the magnitude of change associated with the construction of the proposed plant.

7.5.3.1 Potential effects on landscape

Changes to landscape occurring within the boundary of a site would be both direct (physically alteration) and indirect (visual influence). During the construction phase there will be temporary effects on the landscape of the site as the result of ground disturbance, ie hard standing areas for construction cranes.

During the operational life of the development there will be long term but reversible effects on the landscape of the site.



The proposal would essentially introduce 4 × 45 m high stacks 2 × HRSGs, air-cooled condensers, steam turbine building, a single turbine hall and storage tanks to the landscape. The plant would be that would be screened by the local topography with perhaps just the tops of the stack visible from areas much outside a few kilometres.



The project will seek to use construction equipment such as cranes etc that will be sized so as to serve their intended use without presenting an overly intrusive visual impact.


7.5.4.2 Gas and water pipeline construction

In order to further minimize the impact the contractor should employ the following mitigation measures:

• to dispose of debris resulting from pipeline construction or decommissioning to areas or dump sites specified by local municipalities;

• restore the lands along the route of the pipeline to their former condition following completion of the pipeline construction.

7.5.4.3 Operation

The architectural design of the buildings will be carefully considered to provide a high standard of visual amenity, given practical and economic constraints. The proposed development will be modern in appearance, with a clean outline and a simple bold structure.

The development generally will be in materials to match nearby buildings and particularly at upper levels colours will be neutral and subdued to provide the least visual intrusion and to minimize contrasts with the existing environment.

The external structures of the buildings will be designed such that there will be no deterioration in the power station’s appearance over the 25-30 years lifetime of the plant with steel structures of the plant painted with surface protected suitable for local conditions in accordance with the standards and practices of the Steel Structures Painting Council.

Trees and bushes may be planted to provide screening for local receptors.

Lights would be Switch off when not required for safety, security. Directional lighting will be employed to minimize light pollution.



7.5.5 Conclusion

The substantial buildings envisaged on site are the turbine hall, 2 × heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), air cooled condenser, steam turbine building, turbine hall and storage tanks. The remaining plant and equipment will, in the main, be housed in relatively low buildings, of the order of 3 to 6 m in height. The tallest structure on site will be the four 45 m CCGT and Bypass high stacks.

The architectural design of the buildings will be carefully considered to provide a high standard of visual amenity, given practical and economic constraints with planting where appropriate to provide screening of the plant from local receptors so as to reduce the visual impact of the project.

The impact of the visual amenity of the area of the proposed plant is considered to be insignificant.

7.6 Traffic and infrastructure

This section discussed the environmental impacts associated with the plant construction and operation with regard to the impact on the local infrastructure. Emissions to air from the traffic movements associated with the plant are discussed separately in Section 7.1 whilst the noise impacts of these are discussed in Section 7.4.

The information used in making the below assessment with regard to vehicle movements etc is based on PB Powers experience of similar CCGT developments in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Cumulative environmental impacts associated with regard to the proposed Amman ring road are discussed in Section 7.11.3.2.

7.6.1 Impacts on traffic and infrastructure during construction

Road access to the proposed site will be via a new site access road that will link to the Zarqa to Sahab road immediately to the north of the project site.

The 28 month construction phase of the CCGT plant will give rise to additional traffic movements. Due to the number of construction workers, large numbers of private vehicles could travel to the site daily. Car sharing and the use of minibuses and public transport will be encouraged. In addition the contractors appointed would be encouraged to provide a minibus service for construction staff. There would, therefore, be up to 200 vehicles bringing staff to the site during the morning peak and 200 vehicles leaving the site during the afternoon peak.

In addition to staff transport movements, construction traffic will consist of civil works traffic, mechanical works traffic and a small number of abnormal loads for components such as the gas and steam turbines.

Materials used during the civil works will include ready mixed concrete and/or raw materials for onsite manufacture of concrete, reinforcing bars, structural steelwork, cladding and road materials. Materials brought to site for the mechanical works will comprise all items of plant. This traffic will consist of light and heavy commercial vehicles. Approximately 50 heavy commercial vehicles per day will be



expected on average with 100 per day at the peak of the construction period. Vehicles bringing deliveries to site are likely to be spread throughout the working day.

The exact number of abnormal loads would depend on the configuration of the plant that will only be finalized during the tendering process. However, this is likely to be of the order of 5 to 10 over the 28-month construction period. The transport of abnormal loads, which may lead to delays and cause inconvenience to other road users, would be timed to minimize disruption to the other road users. The good quality of the existing Zarqa to Sahab road should remove the need for any road improvement works that are sometimes associated with power station development.

It is anticipated that the road traffic generated by the construction of the proposed development will not be sufficient to significantly affect traffic related air quality or noise in the area especially when considered against current traffic levels.

Given the projects fairly isolated location there is not predicted to be an impact to pedestrians, cyclists etc. Any impact to public transport in the area could generally be considered to be positive as the project could potentially see an increase level of public transport to the area to allow for the transportation of construction staff to the site.

In summary any impact due to increased traffic levels during the construction period will be slight and of short duration.


The impact of the gas and water pipelines construction to local traffic and infrastructure will be minimal. To mitigate the projects minimal impacts it is recommended that the contactor:

• avoid the peak traffic hours when transporting pipes, other facilities and heavy machinery;

• use qualified drivers and ensure that they follow Jordanian traffic regulations;

• use well maintained appropriate trucks having a gross weight within the axial permissible load.

Interruption of traffic flow on the main roads will be avoided by conducting underground excavation and installation of the gas pipeline. Any works on the road/road site should be at times or lowest traffic flows. In the long term the installation of the gas pipeline will help to reduce traffic movements as all potential alternative fuels would require delivery by road.

7.6.2 Impacts on traffic and infrastructure during operation

Operation of the proposed plant will naturally result in much fewer traffic movements than those associated with construction, of the order of 40 per day. A large proportion of these movements will be due to the 40 to 50 staff operating the plant and the majority of the journeys will therefore be local. The plant will operate on a shift basis. The maximum number of vehicles arriving at site during each shift change would be less than 20 and would have no significant impact on the traffic flow in the area.



When there is an interruption the natural gas supply the plant will be firing on distilled fuel oil (DFO). DFO will be stored on site in 2 × 13 500 m3 storage tanks that will allow for fourteen days continuous operation. As sufficient quantities of fuel will be stored on site to allow for this operation the need to replenish DFO supplies during interruptions will not be pressing. This means that the tanks can be refilled over a longer period of time (unless the interruption is serious in nature). It is estimated that the total number of transporting diesel trucks from Jordan Petroleum Refinery to the project location will be about 2 to 3 trucks/day assuming each truck load is 32 to 42 tonnes.

The trucks transporting DFO to the power plant would access the plant via the Zarka to Sahab main road from the Jordan Petroleum Refinery in Zarka and would represent a negligible increment to the existing traffic movements along to road.

As with the construction phase the projects fairly isolated location means that the plants operation is not predicted to be an impact to pedestrians, cyclists etc. Any impact to public transport in the area could potentially be positive as the project could see a potential increased level of public transport to the area to allow for the transportation of staff to the site.

The traffic movements associated with this operational phase of the project will therefore not represent a significant increment to this baseline and are not predicted to represent an inconvenience to local road users.

7.6.3 Impacts on traffic and infrastructure during decommissioning

Traffic movements associated with the decommissioning of the plant would likely be less frequent than that associated with the construction of the plant and would therefore be insignificant.

7.6.4 Cumulative impacts

At the time of the preparation of this report there are no know developments in the vicinity of the proposed plant that have the potential to give rise to a cumulative impact when considered in conjunction with the proposed Amman East CCGT plant.



During construction regular servicing and maintenance of vehicles will be employed to help minimize emissions to air. Wheel washing may be employed to help prevent mud and earth being carried from the site on to local roads. In dry periods onsite roads may be dampened to reduce the potential for dust creation. Signs will be put in place as necessary to warn of the presence of construction traffic entering and leaving the site.

Car sharing and the use of minibuses and public transport will be encouraged by all staff. In addition the contractors appointed would be encouraged to provide a minibus service for construction staff.



A traffic management plan will be prepare to help minimize the impact to the local traffic network. Safety training may be provided to vehicle drivers if considered necessary. Drivers will be instructed to obey all relevant speed limits and other relevant laws.

Construction traffic movements will avoid sensitive receptors such as schools and residential areas to reduce the potential for impact on local traffic safety. Signs will be provided to warn of heavy vehicles using roads in the area of the site.

7.6.5.2 Operation

Transport of DFO to the site would endeavour to avoid the peak traffic congestion rush hours at 6:30 am and 4.30 pm to minimize the impact to the local traffic network.

Drivers will be instructed to obey all relevant speed limits and other relevant laws.

No other mitigating measures or monitoring programmes are thought to be necessary for the CCGT plant as the amount of additional traffic is minimal compared to the capacities of the local road network.

7.6.5.3 Conclusions

It is considered that the project will have an insignificant impact to local traffic and infrastructure due to the good standard of the existing road network in the construction, operation and decommissioning phases.

7.7 Socioeconomics

The project company has leased the site from the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Survey for the duration of the plants lifetime. Acquisition of this land was achieved with proper consideration of the relevant articles and procedures stated in Jordanian law, Land Acquisition Law No. 12, 1987.

As the project does not involve the resettlement of indigenous peoples or the removal of land from the ownership of individuals the World Bank policy on indigenous peoples, “Guidance Note 7: Indigenous Peoples” or “Guidance Note 5: Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement” are not relevant to the project. The site is not home to any residential, commercial or industrial activities being wholly owned by the Ministry of Finance/Department of Lands and Survey. The project will not therefore require the payment of compensation for resettlement.

Al-Manakher area is characterized by its arid nature which lacks to any large scale of commercial and industrial activities. There is not predicted therefore to be any significant impact on the value of the lands surrounding to the project site ion the construction, operational or decommissioning phases. The operation of the plant will not generate any wastes that any lead to ground contamination of the site and will therefore not affect any future use of the site or the surrounding land.



7.7.1 Socioeconomic impacts during construction

At the peak of the construction phase the proposed Amman East combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant will employ of the order of 1000 construction workers with an average of between 600-700. Construction of the new plant is expected to commence in February 2007. The construction workforce will likely peak at about 1000 with an average of between 600-700. The target date for simple (open) cycle operation is June 2008 and full combined cycle operation is June 2009.

During the initial phase of construction ie the civil works, a small unskilled workforce will be required, later the mechanical and electrical works will require a larger workforce with more specialized skills.

Due to the scale of the development and necessary workforce workers will need to be recruited from outside the immediate area, most likely from Amman and will likely commute to the site daily. It is not envisaged that housing will be erected on site to allow for on site worker accommodation.

It is expected that construction contracts related to the project site preparation, installation of infrastructure, construction of internal roads and such works will be awarded to local contractors. However, it is expected that contracts of high technical works of building the power station itself may be let to specialized foreign contractors and firms. It is expected that the construction labour workers will be around 40 per cent of the total employment, this means that the construction workers will peak at 400 workers. As a result, there would be good opportunities for local employment from Al-Manakher village or from Sahab district during the construction phase.

Thus, it is difficult to estimate the number of skilled employees that will be recruited during construction and operation phases. However, it is clear that there will be direct employment opportunities, which will result in positive social and economical impacts.

Construction staff will be encouraged to either share car, utilize local transport or use mini bus services provided to move staff to and from the proposed site. This should ensure that there is minimal significant impact to local traffic and infrastructure.

Construction workers typically comprise a high proportion of single males who make relatively light demands on education, health, or recreation facilities so even if much of the workforce is from outside the area there will be little impact on such local services.

The money injected into the local economy in terms of the wages of the construction workforce and the project expenditures on local supplies of goods and services and local contractors will in turn generate further economic activity and indirect employment benefits in the area. It is likely that a good proportion of these supplies will be purchased in local market, the village of Al-Manakher and other neighbouring towns and villages. Small shops, food and beverages stores, spare part suppliers, vehicle maintenance workshops and other local businesses will be positively affected. Due to the large number of employees during construction phase, high positive but temporary impact can be expected.



It is expected that the construction contractors will collect all the packaging materials and waste in a specific area then it will be disposed of to a specific landfill site after getting approval from Sahab district.

Visual impacts and annoyance to local residents are discussed in Section 7.5. The selected site of the power plant near to Al-Manakher village has no buildings and no forestry or planted trees. Near to the project site, there are a few industrial plants. Temporary negative visual impact and annoyance may result from the excess debris resulting from construction activities of the power station. However, it is considered that this is out weighed by the positive effects that will be realized particularly for the nearby areas in terms of increase commerce.


There will be some short term employment opportunities during construction of the gas and water pipelines. The majority of the installation work is conducted by an expert team who will reside in the area for the period of installation.

The pipeline project will have a minimal impact on socio-economics in the area due to its short length and likely short construction period. There may be some impact associated with disruption to traffic flows along the main road but this would be short in duration.

The project will create new job opportunities for Jordanians primarily during the construction phase. Where ever practical preference should be given to local qualified contractors and suppliers.

To enhance the positive impact on local businesses located along the pipeline route during construction phase during operation phase, it is recommended that the company sources supplies, food, spare parts from local villages stores where possible.

There is understood to be no need for the acquisition of any land. The gas and water pipelines will be constructed in the corridor of the roads in the project area. The road corridors are owned by government, however, acknowledging the acquisition procedure and in case of confiscating any land the Government of Jordan will pay fair compensation for the private land owners according to Land Acquisition Law No. 12/1987. The fair compensation will be based on the market value of the land and on the properties or plants existing on it.

7.7.2 Socioeconomic impacts during operation

Although there are positive local economic and social impacts as a result of direct and indirect employment during both construction and operation phases of the project, the main economic benefit of this project is the provision of additional electricity supply to the country as a whole. Electricity demand in Jordan is predicted to rise in the 15 year electricity master plan issued by the Electricity Regulatory Commission of Jordan (ERC) from its current level of about 9368 GWh to 15422 GWh in 2020 (assuming a nationwide low case). This will require an increase in generation capacity in Jordan of 1029 MW from 1326 MW to 2355 MW. The projections of increase on power demand show that there will be a shortage in electricity supply within the decade years. Operation of power plant in Al-Manakher area will be vital to avoid supply disruptions and to secure the needed power, which is of utmost importance for economic growth of Jordan.



The use of natural gas to generate electricity in the plant will make its operation more economically feasible due to the low cost of natural gas compared to other fuels. Moreover, the use of relatively clean natural gas fuel will result in reduction of air pollution, emissions and hence the reduction of health impacts.

The Amman East CCGT will be designed to operate with a significant amount of automatic control but will require up to 40-50 staff. These jobs will be permanent, non-seasonal jobs lasting for the lifetime of the power station, ie up to about 25-30 years. It is expected that about half of the plant operators will work a five-shift system, with four on duty at any one time. The remaining staff will work normal office hours.

Staff will have a background appropriate to their discipline and will be trained in the operation of the plant. Skilled jobs will constitute approximately 95 per cent of the permanent work force. Staff at all levels will receive training related to process and emission control. Manufacturers’ know-how will be transferred to the operating staff through participation in the trial runs and testing during the commissioning period. The plant will be operated in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions. Staff training requirements will be regularly appraised. This vocational training centre is currently operated by the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) presents a likely source of staff for the operational stage of the project.

There will also be an economic injection into the local economy during the operational phase consisting of employees wages, local purchases, goods and services and local capital expenditure. Project workers represent a new purchase power to be injected into the local market and will add to the demand for several goods and services in Al-Manakher village and the surrounding areas.

The plant’s permanent staff will be in charge of operation and daily maintenance, including management of subcontracted services. Major repairs and overhauls will be carried out by outside contractors. Some, mainly unskilled or semi-skilled services (eg cleaning, security, welding, painting), may be subcontracted to local companies. It is estimated that a further 25 jobs may be created on the basis of the permanent staff in local service industries such as maintenance, cleaning and catering.

Amman East CCGT will be designed, constructed and operated according to the relevant international codes and standards. Maintenance programs, procurement of high quality spare parts, operational plans and other plans and programs will be set and implemented to guarantee stable, reliable and continuous power supply.

There will be no unacceptable risk to the safety of the public in the vicinity of the plant or any adverse affect on existing or allocated land uses in the area. Neither will the proposal conflict with users of neighbouring land. The expected slight changes in air quality will not impact on local agriculture. Neither will the deposition of nitrogen resulting from the proposed plant.

As the plant will normally operate on natural gas that will be brought to the site via a pipeline connecting to the ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’ about 800–900 m to the west there will generally be a negligible increment to local traffic movements.

When there is an interruption the natural gas supply the plant will be firing on distilled fuel oil (DFO) that will be stored on site in 2 × 13 500 m3 storage tanks that will allow for fourteen days continuous



operation. As sufficient quantities of fuel will be stored on site to allow for this operation the need to replenish DFO supplies during interruptions will not be pressing. This means that the tanks can be refilled over a longer period of time (unless the interruption is serious in nature). It is estimated that the total number of transporting diesel trucks from Jordan Petroleum Refinery to the project location will be about 2–3 trucks/day assuming each truck load is 32-42 ton. The trucks transporting DFO to the power plant would access the plant via the Zarka- Sahab main road from the Jordan Petroleum Refinery in Zarka. The total number of vehicles that travel along the Zarqa-Sahab road is about 1900 vehicles/day in each direction with the rush hours are at 6.30 am and 4.30 pm. The traffic movements associated with this operational phase of the project will not represent a significant increment to this baseline and therefore will not inconvenience local road users.

7.7.3 Socioeconomic impacts during decommissioning

A site closure plan will be prepared prior to the closure and decommissioning of the plant to identify the mitigation measures for rehabilitation procedures necessary to allow for any intended future use of the project site.


No mitigating measures or monitoring programmes are considered to be necessary due to the positive socio-economic impact of the project.

The proponent will however seek to maximize the positive socio-economic impact of the plant where practical/possible in all stages of the project. Areas where this might be possible include:

• construction works related to project site excavation and levelling, construction of buildings and internal roads which the proponent would seek to contract to local contractors, etc;

• in recruitment for skilled and non-skilled construction works for which workers would be sought from the Al-Manakher area or Sahab district where possible;

• the hire qualified local people for the permanent jobs of plant operation where these are available;

• transport of DFO to the site would endeavour to avoid the peak traffic congestion rush hours at 6:30 am and 4.30 pm;

• local vehicles maintenance workshops and oil change stations at Sahab district would be preferred if possible during both construction and operation phases of the plant.

• the various contractors will be encouraged to source supplies, food and beverages, and spare parts from local stores in the Al-Manakher area or Sahab district during construction and operation phases of the plant and

• help employees find new jobs once the project reached the end of its useful lifetime.



Labour law (No.51,2002) will be applied and complied with throughout the duration of the project as necessary.

7.7.5 Public consultation

In order to allow the public to contribute to the ESIA process scoping session was held in Amman at the Holiday Inn on 4 July 2006. A number of stakeholders including organizations from the public and private sectors in addition to NGOs were invited to participate in this session.

Members of the ESIA team gave a presentation about the project activities, facilities, and processes outlining the principle environmental impacts that are generally associated with developments such as the Amman East CCGT.

The participants were asked to review the legal requirements identified as being relevant to the project, which were presented on a slide to help identify any additional legislation that could be considered applicable to the project.

The participants were provided with a comments form to write down their concerns regarding the project (if any). Sufficient time was allowed for all comments to be made by those who attended the session. Upon completion all forms were collected from participants by the MoE Representative. Copies were then provided to the ESIA Consultant Team to prepare the scoping report and to carry out the ESIA. Tables presenting these concerns are provided in Appendix C along with details of where the concerns are addressed within the ES as necessary.

7.7.6 Additional public consultation







7.7.6.1 Consultation methodology





The consultation process employed two assessment methods to gauge the opinion of the village residents on the project affording them the chance to express and concerns relating to the proposed development.

The consulting process started with house to house meeting with local people to explain the nature of the project and the expected effects and benefits on the surrounding environment and people and ended with public hearing conducted in the school of Al-Manakher village. (Photographs of the hearing can be seen in Appendix I).

A survey was also undertaken of local opinion. This included:

1. Provision of a leaflet discussing the project which was distributed to the village people in Arabic (see Appendix J). This included:

• An introduction to the project and nature of the plant processes.

• Comparison between the combined cycle gas turbine and the traditional methods of electricity production, with discussion of the process benefits.

• The positive affects of the project on the surrounding area and people.

2. A brief verbal description of the project, and its positive affects on them and on their village. Complains and fears (where these were expressed) were discussed to allow for a better understanding of the project and its impacts as necessary.

3. Finally participants were invited to fill the survey questionnaire form in Arabic language. Where the interviewee was illiterate they were helped by the consultants and literate people from the local community to fill the forms.

4. On the last day of the consultation around fifty members of the local community attended a Eftar banquet held by the proponent which allowed the members of the ESIA and development team to meet many of the local residents an discuss the project in a less formal setting.

5. A survey questionnaire containing 11 questions was distributed to participants in the consultation process. Where a question generated a 30 per cent negative response this has been considered in detail to determine if a solution can be found to the concern expressed.



7.7.6.2 Survey findings

Some 72 members of the community chose to complete the survey 22 of whom were consulted by house to house visits. If the 72 survey participants, 12 were women. The findings of the survey are presented in Table 7.20.

TABLE 7.20 PUBLIC CONSULTATION SURVEY FINDINGS

Answer Question

Positive. Negative

Mitigation measures are required or not

Do you think that you or any one in your family will profit by working in the plant?

59 13 No mitigation necessary

Do you believe that you will benefit (directly or indirectly) from this project?


Prices of electricity due to the use of Egyptian gas, do you think that this will affect the electricity prices and what is the affect on the other sectors if so?

33 39 Desire from local community for provision of electricity (this may not be able to be accommodated though will be investigated further).

Do you think that the construction of the project will increase the land prices?


Do you think that the construction of the project will improve the roads network?


Do you think that the construction of the project will improve the water, electricity and telephone networks?


In your opinion what will be done with the treated waste water (which is of good quality).

Farming Majority of the people wants this water to be used in the planting trees to be used as buffer zone between the project and the village. This will be considered in the plant design and implemented if feasible.

If empty areas in the plant and planted with vegetation would you think that this will improve the landscape?


Do you think that the project will bring other industries and businesses to the area?


Do you think that the project will have any adverse effect on the people and neighbouring areas?




Answer Question

Positive. Negative


What is your suggestion to reduce the adverse effect (if there is any)

N/A N/A Minimum use fuel oil or any other type of energy except for gas and no chemical discharges.

Based on the above mentioned criteria only questions 3 and 4 need to be considered with regard to any additional mitigation measures.

With regard to electricity prices 54 per cent of the public meeting participant did not believe that the electricity prices will go down. The consensus was that the residents of the village should pay just 30 per cent of the actual electricity price. The potential to accommodate such a community benefit will be explored during the development of the project.

57 per cent of the participants initially believe that the land value will be less and it will lose its value due to construction and any environmental impacts of the power plant. During the consultation period there was an open discussion and it was explained that plant is being constructed under strict guide lines of World Bank and Jordanian Regulations and there is no similarity between this plant and existing oil fired plants currently operating in the kingdom. The majority of people believed following discussion of the project that the plant may actually boost property prices and that there is a potential for additional commercial activity in the area encouraged by the construction of the plant that will generate a positive socio-economic impact..

7.7.6.3 Residents opinion

During the consultation process a number of residents of Al Manakher asked about the basis how and why this particular site is selected for this power plant and is it not feasible to have a plant further away from the village. It was explained to the people that location of the plant is at reasonable distance away from the village and site was selected based on availability of roads, available government land, proximity to the natural gas pipeline (just a under 900 m to the west) and 400 KV transmission line (6 km to the west).


Separate public consultation has been undertaken for the proposed transmission line which is detailed in the ESIA for the project included as Appendix M of the ESIA.



7.7.6.4 Conclusion and recommendation

It is considered that most of the village residents now have a much better understanding of the project and the environmental and social impact associated with the construction and operation of the plant.

With regard to the expectations of the local community there is a clear hope that if possible staff for the construction and operation of the plant should be drawn from the local community. Where ever practical this will be accommodated by the proponent.

The community also expressed a desire for social benefits from the project such as repair and extension of the mosque, scholarships for outstanding local students from the community and also training courses for their unskilled and illiterate people so that they can qualify for jobs during construction phase of the project. Again where ever possible and practical the proponent will seek to make provision for these desires.

In order to continue the good relationship established with the local community AES have nominated one of their local employees to act as a direct point of contact with the local community. It is hoped that this will afford the local community easy access to AES management to raise their concerns in the event that concerns arise.

7.7.7 Conclusion

The Amman East CCGT is considered to have a positive socio-economic impact through the provision of jobs and the bringing in of money to the local economy. .

7.8 Ecology and biodiversity

The project has the potential to impact on biodiversity in the construction, operation and decommissioning phases. However the principal impacts will be during the construction phase.

7.8.1 Impacts during construction

The construction of Amman East CCGT will result in the loss of the existing vegetation on the site however the proposed site does not contain any plant species that are notable or rare.

Indirect impacts resulting from potential aqueous effluent and runoff from site activities during construction of the proposed power station will be carefully monitored and kept to an absolute minimum so as to ensure that there is no contamination of habitats and ecosystems outside the project boundary.

The proposed site for the power plant is bordered to the north and south by an existing road that will allow for access to the site with minimal additional on site road creation. This road shall be the only connection between the project and the outside, while other necessary roads shall be maintained inside the proposed site borders. As the project does not include the creation of large lengths of new roads the impact associated with site access etc is negligible.



Statutory and non-statutory sites

There are no statutory or non-statutory sites within the proposed site or within the immediate vicinity of the site, impacts therefore are considered negligible.

Flora

The study area does not support any ecologically important habitat types nor has it been found to support rare plant species.

According to the baseline results it was clear that the natural vegetation at the proposed site for the power plant has been removed due to the past and current agriculture practices. As a result any site clearance will have a minimal impact to vegetation when considered in the local context.

Fauna

Cultivation of the proposed site of the power plant has removed the suitable microhabitats for the fauna species that have small home ranges like reptiles and rodents. However, the area is still considered part of a larger ecosystem that surrounds the proposed site that could support such species. Despite the agriculture activity that dominates the surrounding area there are small depression and wadies that have the potential to act as safe corridors for wildlife. It is not considered that the propose CCGT plant will significantly impact on these areas so long as care is taken to avoid damage to such sites through surface water run off etc.

Impact on habitat

The habitats of the area as is the case for the CCGT site is highly fragmented. The construction activities will have negligible impact on habitats, as the impact of the activities will be confided to the site, which is not home to any sensitive habitat. The site will no longer be used for agricultural purposes however this is not considered to represent the removal of habitat for any sensitive species.


Fauna in the immediate area of the installation of the pipelines will be affected by the presence of construction workers, machinery, noise and disturbance of the soil. Impact to fauna would generally be short-term with no permanent effects expected.

7.8.2 Impacts during operation

Operation of the CCGT plant is expected to have minor impacts on local wildlife though noise disturbance though ultimately the local species may develop a tolerance in this regard and therefore only migrant visitors may be affected once the plant has become an established part of the area.

7.8.3 Impacts during decommissioning

Decommissioning activities are not expected to have a significant impact on the habitats since natural habitats are completely removed before the installation of this project.



The proponent will prepare a site closure plan prior to decommissioning that will detail the manner in which the plant will be decommissioned to ensure that the site is left in an appropriate state to allow for any intended future use.


7.8.5 Construction

Indirect impacts resulting from potential aqueous effluent and runoff from site activities during construction of the proposed power station will be carefully monitored and kept to an absolute minimum so as to ensure that there is no contamination of habitats and ecosystems outside the project boundary.

The contractor will be obliged to avoid any unnecessary removal of existing natural vegetation where this is not necessary for the construction of the plant. Workers will be required not to cut down natural plants in the surrounding area for fire

Use of machinery will be restricted to the proposed site as will parking of vehicles. Any maintenance of vehicles or machinery will be performed off site unless strictly necessary. Disposal of any kind of solid and liquid wastes will not be allowed on site. All wastes will be removed and disposed of at an appropriate landfill site.

The contractor will not allow workers to hunt or kill animals. Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

The destruction of bird nests will be prohibited. Any ground nests found inside the site will be moved in coordination with Ministry of Environment and the Royal Society for Conservation of Nature (RSCN) to an appropriate area.

Construction activity will be kept to a minimum during night-time to decrease disturbance on wildlife in the area.

The planting of exotic or invasive plants for landscaping inside and around the plant will be prohibited with a preference given to the planting of native species where landscaping is deemed necessary.

7.8.6 Operation

Operation of the site may lead to the disturbance of created habitats through noise, movement and lighting. This may limit the value of these habitats to some species eg small mammals and birds. However these effects will be minimized by directional lighting and buffer planting.

Workers will be prevented from hunting or killing local wildlife. Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

Disposal of domestic or industrial wastes will be to appropriate disposal sites. The disposal of wastes on site, and in the in the surrounding area especially at the near shallow wadies will not be allowed.



All parking for the CCGT plant will be on site. Parking on areas outside the project area will not be allowed unless strictly necessary.

7.8.7 Decommissioning

The proponent will prepare a site closure plan prior to decommissioning that will detail the manner in which the plant will be decommissioned to ensured that the site is left in an appropriate state to allow for any intended future use.

7.8.8 Conclusion

From the ecological studies undertaken it can be concluded that whist the construction of the plant would result in the destruction of all or much of the existing habitat on site, the on site habitat does not represent a source of any notable fauna or flora when considered in the context of the surrounding area.

Mitigation measures have been outlined that should ensure that the construction, operation and decommissioning of the plant will have an insignificant impact to ecology in the area.

7.9 Archaeology

7.9.1 Surface archaeology

The investigation revealed the presence of no archaeological sites in the area of the power plant project, which may be affected by field activities. There are some archaeological sites in the area but these are located outside a 5 km radius of the proposed power station site; these sites have recently been afforded protection measurements by DOA. The project therefore complies with the Archaeology Act with regard to protected Archaeological Sites.

The survey revealed no seen archaeological sites. Only a few scattered flints, that are potentially man made, were noticed on the surface and are likely present as a result of being washed away from the nearby hills during the winter season. The project therefore complies with the Archaeology Act with regard to the disturbance of identifiable Archaeological on site.

Therefore, the only concern regarding this issue would be the unseen sites or archaeological remains that might be discovered by chance during the construction activities such as excavations and site preparation.

7.9.2 Subsurface archaeology

The desk based studies have not identified any known sub surface archaeology at the proposed Amman East CCGT site. There is however the potential for sub surface archaeology to exist at the site.

It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to notify the Department of Antiquities representative if antiquities are encountered in any stage during construction.



If any site is found during construction and will be damaged by construction activities, the DOA will be invited to assess the discovered remains and may carry out an emergency salvage excavation salvage excavation which entails that archaeological excavation is conducted during construction phase. The contractor would be obliged to wait for a period of 10 days before commencing construction activities in the vicinity of an archaeological find to allow the DOA to respond to the sites identification.

The available short time for salvage excavations cannot be considered an authorization to destroy the discovered remains or site. Since each site must be given proper consideration and analysis before its destruction can be authorized.

The developer shall bear the cost of the further salvage excavation if needed.


The consultant archaeologist who undertook the archaeological assessment for the power plant has surveyed the pipeline routes and did not find any seen archaeological sites or remains in the pipeline route. The only concern would be the chance find archaeological site or remains. In that case the department of archaeology or the nearest police station should be notified and the same mitigation measures outlined in the ESIA for the power station employed as necessary.

7.9.3 Mitigation and monitoring

The Contractor shall seek the written approval of the Department of Antiquities before the removal of any chance find building, foundation, structure, fence and other obstruction over 50 years old, any portion of which is in the quarrel. Designated salvageable material shall be removed, without causing unnecessary damage, and in parts or pieces, which may be readily transported, and shall be started by the contractor at approved locations, for later use or possession of the department of Antiquities.

The developer shall bear the cost of the salvage excavation if needed.

The proponent will prepare an archaeological recovery plan to detail the measures that will be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable impact to on site archaeology during the construction process. This will be submitted before the commencement of any construction activities at the proposed site.

7.9.4 Conclusion

The Amman East CCGT will not impact on any known archaeological sites and is outside 1 km of any sites protected by the Jordanian Archaeology Act.

As the project will not damage any known archaeological remains the project is considered to satisfy “Guidance Note 8: Cultural Heritage” of the World Bank. As required by the policy a site walk over has been undertaken by a competent archaeologist, which has confirmed that no visible surface archaeology exists at the site.

There is a potential for the project to impact on sub surface archaeology yet to be identified. In the event that the construction activities uncover artefacts of archaeological interest the Department of



Antiquities will be invited to assess the discovered remains and may carry out an emergency salvage excavation salvage excavation as the Department see fit.

7.10 Health and safety

This section includes consideration of the plants compliance with regard to the health and safety of the local community and on site work force. In doing so it considers all relevant Jordanian legislation as well as the relevant guidance and policy documents of the World Bank and International Finance Cooperation.

A major hazard assessment has been undertaken for the project to identify potential hazards and the manner in which the risks associated with these will be mitigated. None of the hazards identified are considered to represent a significant hazard to human health or the environment so long as the mitigation identified is implemented.

The health and safety procedures and policies that will be prepared for the CCGT plant will contain the performance levels and measures that are normally acceptable to the IFC and those required by Jordanian law.

A Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) plan will be prepared by the EPC contractor for the construction works prior to commencement of the construction activities. Workers will be provided with personal protective equipment and training and will be required to use these as necessary. Guidelines for maintaining hygienic conditions and appropriate shelter at eating, resting, drinking and washing facilities on project site will be established.


An Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) has been prepared for the project. This document provides information on the mitigation measures that are discussed in detail in the ES and identifies any monitoring that will be necessary in order to ensure that these are being successfully implemented. This is provided for both the construction and operational phases. The EPC Contractors HSE Plan and the Operations EMS will be prepared at a later date and will include further details on the manner in which the aims of the EMMP will be implemented.

An environmental and safety manager will be appointed for the construction and operational phases to ensure that the EMMP and other environmental policies are properly adhered to and that all national laws are complied with.

It is considered that so long as the proponent implements the mitigation and monitoring measures outlined in the ES and the EMMP the project will comply fully with all relevant health and safety requirements with regard to staff and members of the general public required in the relevant Jordanian legislation as well as the requirements of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.



7.10.1 Hazard assessment

Since large quantities of gas will be handled a major hazard analysis has been undertaken to assess compliance with the World Bank Guidelines for identifying, analyzing, and controlling major hazards.

Table 7.21 provides a risk assessment for the potential major incidents that could theoretically occur at the proposed Amman East CCGT site.

TABLE 7.21 RISK ASSESSMENT OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS

Potential accident Preventative design features Response

Catastrophic failure of fuel oil tank

110 per cent capacity bund; regular inspection routine, fire protection system cooling adjacent tanks

Removal of spill by licensed contractor; implement emergency action plan to deal with fire and other health and safety hazards; attend to repair of failure

Catastrophic failure of mineral oil storage or transformer

110 per cent capacity bund; regular inspection routine

Removal of spill by licensed contractor; implement emergency action plan to deal with fire and other health and safety hazards; attend to repair of failure

Major leak of water treatment chemical

Adequate bund capacity; regular inspection routine

Removal or treatment of spill by licensed contractor; implement emergency action plan to deal with fire and other health & safety hazards; attend to repair of failure

Spill of oil or chemical at delivery point

Adequate capacity bund or kerbed area; regular inspection routine

Removal or treatment of spill by licensed contractor; implement emergency action plan to deal with fire and other health and safety hazards

Spill of oil or chemical in transit within site

Routing of drains to oily waste water pond and oil separators.

Removal or treatment of spill by licensed contractor; implement emergency action plan to deal with fire and other health and safety hazards

Major leak of natural gas within CCGT plant scope

Gas detectors; slam-shut valves; valves failing shut on loss of power; enclosure to stop spread of fire

Shut off gas supply; implement emergency action plan to deal with fire and other health and safety hazards in conjunction with gas supplier; attend to repair of failure

7.10.2 Health and safety

In considering the plants health and safety implications it is necessary to consider both the safety of the on site work force and the general public. This section includes an assessment of compliance with the IFC's Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines.



The health and safety procedures and policies that will be prepared for the CCGT plant will contain the performance levels and measures that are normally acceptable to the IFC.

The EPC contractor will be responsible for the health and safety of all persons on the site during the construction period. Site regulations will be established which set out the rules for the execution of the works at the site.

7.10.3 Occupational health and safety management system

A Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) plan will be prepared by the EPC contractor for the construction works prior to commencement of the construction activities. Workers will be provided with personal protective equipment and training and will be required to use these as necessary. Guidelines for maintaining hygienic conditions and appropriate shelter at eating, resting, drinking and washing facilities on project site will be established.

An Occupational Health and Safety management system (OHSMS) for the plant during operation will be established, operated, maintained and designed such that certification may be obtained. The following features will be incorporated into the OHSMS:

1. Occupational health and safety policy

2. Organizational framework of the OHSMS, including staffing of OHSMS, competence requirements, operating procedures, training programs, system documentation and communication

3. The preparation and development of emergency prevention, preparedness and response arrangements.

4. OHS measurable objectives will be established for the entire organization and for individual departments. The objectives shall be realistic, achievable and focused on continued improvements.

5. Hazard prevention and risk assessment, including prevention and control measures, change management, emergency procedures and procurement

6. Performance monitoring and measurements, including hazard prevention measures, ambient working environment, the documentation of work related injuries, ill health, diseases and incidents

7. The provide preventive and protective measures for hazardous conditions or substances

8. Evaluation in the form of feed back, corrective measures and action plans

7.10.4 Factors in the workplace

The design and construction of the proposed plant will take into account the following factors, such that occupational health and safety guidelines are observed:



1. Buildings and structures will be designed according to local and internationally recognized standards. They will be structurally safe, provide appropriate protection against the climate and have acceptable light and noise conditions.

2. Equipment, tools and substances will be suitable for their use and selected to minimize dangers to safety or health when used correctly.

3. Work places will where possible receive natural light and be supplemented with sufficient artificial illumination, and signage will appropriately mark hazards, exits, materials etc.

4. Ventilation design factors will consider physical activity, substances in use and process related emissions. Temperatures will be maintained at levels appropriate for the purpose of the facility.

5. Fire prevention and protection will be adequate for the dimensions and use of the premises, equipment installed, physical and chemical properties of substances present, and the maximum number of people present. Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area. These will include fixed foam protection systems, fire alarms, portable appliances, etc. The plant will also store firewater sufficient to meet the requirements of the Jordan Fire Department and the local fire code requirements.

6. Places of work, traffic routes and passageways shall be kept free from waste and spillage, regularly cleaned, and maintained. First aid facilities will be provided and will be easily accessible throughout the place of work. Welfare facilities will include locker rooms, an adequate number of toilets with washbasins, and a room dedicated for eating. An ample supply of drinking water will be provided at all places of work.

7. Personal protection equipment will be identified and provided, that will offer adequate protection to the worker, co-workers and occasional visitors without incurring unnecessary inconvenience. The use of PPE will be actively enforced if alternative technologies, work plans or procedures cannot eliminate or sufficiently reduce a hazard or exposure. The employer shall ensure that PPE is cleaned when dirty, properly maintained and replaced when damaged or worn out. Proper use of PPE shall be part of the recurrent training programs for employees.

8. Noise levels will be meet the noise limits of Jordan and the relevant World Bank Standards.

9. Exposure to vibration from equipment will be controlled through selection of equipment and limitation of time of exposure. The limits for vibration and action values will conform to those provided by the IFC guidelines for OHS.

10. Indoor temperatures will be maintained such that they are reasonable and appropriate for the work at site. Risks of heat related stress will be adequately addressed and feasible control measures implemented for work.




All relevant components of the Jordanian Labour law (No.51,2002) will be applied to the construction, operation and decommissioning stages as necessary.

7.10.5 Community health, safety and security

The Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability of the IFC requires projects to:

• avoid or minimize risks to and impacts on the health and safety of the local community during the project life cycle from both routine and non-routine circumstances

• ensure that the safeguarding of personnel and property is carried out in a legitimate manner that avoids or minimizes risk to the community’s safety and security.

It is not predicted that the health and safety of local communities will be affected during construction, operation or decommissioning of the proposed Amman East CCGT due to distance.

The plant will be located within a security fence ensuring to prevent trespass or accidental entry of the site by local peoples. The plant will also be fitted with security cameras

Construction materials will be managed safely with any stockpiles etc placed in areas to prevent any risk to local communities such as the materials becoming airborne through exposure to the wind.

Transport during all phases of the project will be managed so as to minimize impact to the local community. The transport of raw materials and the transport and disposal of waste will be undertaken in an appropriate manner. Project vehicles and equipment will be well maintained with project-related traffic will be requested to travel no faster than the speed limit.

7.10.6 Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan

Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) has been prepared for the project and is discussed in Section 8. This document provides information on the mitigation measures that are discussed in detail in the ES and identifies any monitoring that will be necessary in order to ensure that these are being successfully implemented. This is provided for both the construction and operational phases. The EPC Contractors HSE Plan and the Operations EMS will be prepared at a later date and will include further details on the manner in which the aims of the EMMP will be implemented.



7.10.7 Conclusion

It is considered that so long as the plant implements the mitigation and monitoring measures outlined above and in the EMMP the project will comply fully with all relevant Jordanian Laws as well as the requirements of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.

7.11 Cumulative impact

This section discussed the impacts associated with potential the infrastructure that will be constructed to support the Amman East CCGT plant.

The installation of the support infrastructure including the transmission line, substation and water and gas pipelines is not expected to be significant. In all cases the responsibility for the consenting, construction and operation of these lies completely outside the control of AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co. In all cases there is an obligation one the relevant parties to install the infrastructure to aloe for the operation of the Amman East CCGT. There are no legal implications associated with the consenting, construction and operation of this infrastructure.


7.11.1 Introduction

This section discussed the impacts associated with potential the infrastructure that will be constructed to support the Amman East CCGT plant. Including:

• The water pipeline connecting to the Water Authority of Jordan existing distribution network

• The gas pipeline connecting to the Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline.

• The substation and transmission lines to connect to the NEPCO electrical distribution network

It also discusses the potential cumulative impacts associated with the Amman East project, the support infrastructure and other existing and proposed developments in the study area.

7.11.2 Associated infrastructure and their impacts

The Amman East plant will require that installation of a supporting infrastructure including transmission lines, a 400 kV substation and gas and water pipelines that are discussed further below.

7.11.2.1 The water pipeline

The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) will supply drinking quality water as raw water for all the Facility’s needs through an new water pipeline. The pipeline will be owned and operated by WAJ and



the construction of this is neither the responsibility or subject to the influence of the AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co.

7.11.2.1.1 Description of the pipeline





7.11.2.1.2 Pipeline construction authorization

WAJ are responsible for all works associated with the installation of the 18 km pipeline and will be responsible for its operation, and maintenance over the course of the lifetime of the Amman East CCGT.



7.11.2.1.3 Ground conditions

As part of their studies WAJ will need to assess the prevailing ground conditions will be addressed in a Ground Study in which the geotechnical impacts on each of the route corridor options should be identified, especially as ground conditions pose significant risk to the satisfactory completion of the construction. Aspects such as geology, hydrogeology, ground conditions, mining subsidence, land slip, solution caverns, the presence of landfill sites, peat deposits and other forms of ground instability.

It is not considered that the ground conditions in the project area are likely to mean the water pipeline will cause an unacceptable impact to ground conditions in the area which it ultimately passes through.

7.11.2.1.4 Construction of the pipeline

Before pipeline construction commences, a detailed assessment of the route will be need to be conducted by WAJ to identify:



• location and depth of any land drains

• access points and working width

• type of fencing required dependent on type of animals present, if any

• details of crossings of rivers, roads and tracks

• any other information relative to construction.

Pipeline construction would take place during hours as agreed with the relevant Authorities.

Pipeline construction of this size usually requires a temporary working width of 15 metres, this allows for all construction activities to take place in this area. Additional land for special crossings, temporary working areas, vehicle and material storage areas, site establishment locations, temporary construction and permanent access requirements will be identified in the pipeline easement negotiations. The working width usually comprises a fenced off strip of land along the route. The pipeline is constructed in sections subject to the terrain. In certain locations the working strip may restrict access to adjoining land.

The detailed procedure for the construction of the pipeline includes: fencing off, removal of any vegetation, removal of topsoil, excavation of pipe trench, laying of the pipe along the route, welding of the pipe, weld inspection, quality assurance that welding is in accordance with relevant standards, coating of the welded joints, initial backfilling, lowering of pipeline into the trench, controlled backfilling, pipeline testing, and reinstating the land to its original levels and condition.

The impacts on the atmosphere during construction would be limited to some generation of airborne dust during earth moving activities and exhaust fumes from vehicles and machinery. As construction of the pipeline is performed in various sections over about 18 km, no one section would be subject to prolonged air quality impacts.

Over much of the pipeline route, the creation of a trench 1.5 metres deep will have no impact on hydrology.

Noise levels during construction would be limited to that generated by earth moving activities and from vehicles and machinery. All potentially noisy machinery would have to operate within any relevant Jordanian regulations.

There will be some disturbance of soil in the immediate area around the pipeline due to excavation and due to compaction.

Fauna in the immediate area of the installation of the pipeline will be affected by the presence of construction workers, machinery, noise and disturbance of the soil. Impact to fauna would generally be short-term with no permanent effects expected.




There will be some short term employment opportunities during construction. The majority of the installation work is conducted by an expert team who will reside in the area for the period of installation.

An archaeologist from the Department of Antiquities would need to be invited to the site in the event that the excavations revealed archaeological artefacts with the aim of preventing any impact on archaeological remains that could arise during excavations.

7.11.2.1.5 Operation of the water pipeline

The pipeline will be protected from external corrosion by a coating applied to the pipe and supplemented where necessary by cathodic protection. Inspection of the pipeline would not be necessary except in the event of a leak. The pipeline will be tested to ensure that it was sufficient to allow for the internal pressure prior to use.

It is not anticipated that there will be any impacts on air quality, noise, traffic and infrastructure, visual amenity, hydrology, flora and fauna, socio economics or cultural heritage during the operation of the gas pipeline.

7.11.2.1.6 Cumulative impact

The water pipeline bringing water to the proposed power station, and the connection to the transmission network will need to be constructed before the commissioning phase of the power plant. It is therefore extremely likely that the construction of this project would coincide with that of the power station.

Cumulative impact would be minimal, as the construction of the pipeline would be of a short duration not likely exceeding few months.

Impact to local residents would be minimal and short lasting.

A summary of the environmental impacts associated with the water pipeline are included in Appendix K.

7.11.2.2 The gas pipeline

The plant will, during normal operation fire on natural gas that will be supplied via a dedicated gas pipeline that will tee in to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan. The gas pipeline will be installed owned and operated by Fajer Gas Company (FGC) who will be responsible for installation of the pipeline from the main gas pipeline to the site boundary approximately 800 m to the west. FGC will sell gas to NEPCO who will be the supplier of Natural Gas to the proposed CCGT.

7.11.2.2.1 Description of the pipeline

The proposed gas pipeline linking the proposed Amman East site to the Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline will be approximately 800 m in length, and would approach the site from the west.



It is unlikely that FGC will undertake extensive environmental studies give the short length of the pipeline and the barren nature of the intervening land between the pipeline and the Amman East site.


The pipeline will be made from carbon steel pipe and will be buried to a depth such that the top of the pipeline is at least 1 m below ground level.

7.11.2.2.2 Pipeline Construction Authorization




7.11.2.2.3 Ground conditions

The gas pipeline will travel a relatively short distance to site and the intervening land is not considered to represent any significant difficulties with regard to the existing ground conditions.



7.11.2.2.4 Construction of the gas pipeline

Before pipeline construction commences, a detailed assessment of the route will be need to be conducted by WAJ to identify:

• location and depth of any land drains

• access points and working width

• type of fencing required dependent on type of animals present, if any

• details of crossings of rivers, roads and tracks

• any other information relative to construction.






The impacts on the atmosphere during construction would be limited to some generation of airborne dust during earth moving activities and exhaust fumes from vehicles and machinery. As construction of the pipeline is performed in various sections over about 800 m, no one section would be subject to prolonged air quality impacts.

Over much of the pipeline route, the creation of a trench 1.5 metres deep will have no impact on hydrology.

Noise levels during construction would be limited to that generated by earth moving activities and from vehicles and machinery. All potentially noisy machinery would have to operate within any relevant Jordanian regulations.

There will be some disturbance of soil in the immediate area around the pipeline due to excavation and due to compaction.







Given the short distance between the pipeline and the site and the minimal environmental sensitivity of the land involved the environmental impact associated with the construction of the pipeline are negligible.

7.11.2.2.5 Operation of the gas pipeline

The pipeline will be protected from external corrosion by a coating applied to the pipe and supplemented where necessary by cathodic protection. Inspection of the pipeline will be a mixture of visual and machinery based inspection. The pipeline will be tested to 150 per cent of its design pressure prior to use.

In the unlikely event of a leak on the pipeline, automatic isolating valves at each end of the pipeline will close.

It is not anticipated that there will be any impacts on air quality, noise, traffic and infrastructure, visual amenity, hydrology, flora and fauna, socio economics or cultural heritage during the operation of the gas pipeline.


The gas pipeline bringing natural gas to the proposed power station, and the connection to the transmission network will need to be constructed before the commissioning phase of the power plant. It is therefore extremely likely that the construction of this project would coincide with that of the power station.

Cumulative impact would be minimal, as the construction of the pipeline would be of a short duration not likely exceeding few months.

A summary of the environmental impacts associated with the water pipeline are included in Appendix L.

7.11.2.3 Electric

The electricity generated by the Project will be exported to the Jordanian national grid network via a 400 kV substation that will be constructed, owned, and operated by NEPCO and located adjacent to the Project Site. All the power generated by the Facility shall be sold to NEPCO and will be exported from the site via a dedicated transmission line that will be constructed, owned and operated by NEPCO. This connection is expected to be via an overhead line. NEPCO are currently preparing an ESIA for the connection that will be disclosed to the public upon it’s completion.

7.11.2.3.1 Description of the transmission network connection

This project will be link in to the national 400 kV transmission system, which connects the electrical network of Jordan with the electrical networks of Egypt and Syria. At present, double circuit 400 kV transmission lines connect Aqaba, Amman South, Amman North, Qatrana and Samra 400 kV substations.



The transmission line will connect the proposed Amman East 400 kV AIS substation to the existing 400 kV network at Amman North and Amman South 400 kV substation via a double circuit overhead transmission line, which will result in reinforcing the Jordanian electricity network

The preferred route of the overhead transmission line passes through the territories of Abo Alanda Al-Sharki, Al-Baidaa village, and finally between Al-Baidaa village and Al-Maddona area before reaching the substation in Al-Manakher village. The line will traverse mainly arid land with small agricultural field structures and passes by near small rural communities (near Al-Baidaa village).

The total length of the new transmission lines will be about 16 km requiring 30 transmission towers. All towers shall be lattice steel and self supporting carrying a double circuit overhead line. The towers will be sized and positioned so as to guarantee an appropriate ground clearance for the overhead lines.

The substation will be an AIS 400 kV outdoor substation and will contain eight bays (double busbar) comprising three generator transformer circuit bays, four overhead transmission line circuit bays designated for export to the Amman North 1 and 2 and Amman South 1 and 2 substations.

Further information on the tower and line design and substation is provided in the ESIA for the transmission line and substation included in Appendix M.

7.11.2.3.2 Construction of the transmission network connection

Ground investigations including trial pits and boreholes may be undertaken as part of the geotechnical survey to determine any subsurface issues that could impact of the proposed route.

Construction of the proposed transmission connection will be agreed with any relevant ministries.

Transmission line construction of this length requires exclusion to the public of land in the vicinity of the construction activity. Additional land for special crossings, temporary working areas, vehicle and material storage areas, site establishment locations, temporary construction and permanent access requirements will be identified in the transmission connection way leave negotiations.

The detailed procedure for the construction of the transmission line includes: fencing off, removal of any vegetation, removal of topsoil and preparation of foundations for the transmission towers, erection of the tower sections, quality assurance that welding is in accordance with relevant standards, coating of the welded joints, installation of the electrical equipment including cabling.

The impacts on the atmosphere during construction would be limited to some generation of airborne dust during earth moving activities and exhaust fumes from vehicles and machinery.

The impact of the proposal on hydrology is expected to be negligible.

Noise levels during construction would be limited to that generated by earth moving activities and from vehicles and machinery and erection of the steel tower sections. All potentially noisy machinery would be fitted with appropriate silencers.



There will be some disturbance of soil in the immediate area around the transmission towers due to excavation. In addition there will be some compaction of soils as a result of construction vehicles etc.

The likely route is not heavily vegetated consisting for the most part of arable fields Wildlife in the area of the installation of the pipeline will be affected by the presence of construction workers, machinery, noise and disturbance of the soil.

There will be short term visual impact during construction due to the presence of construction equipment including vehicles such as cranes and the machinery associated with erection of the transmission towers and the fitting of the cables.



7.11.2.3.3 Operation of the transmission network connection

The transmission towers will be constructed of galvanized steel that will be grey in appearance, similar to those that connect to the East Amman substation.

The transmission line will either be operated and maintained by NEPCO. The operator will undertake appropriate inspections to ensure that the line is in a proper state of repair.

It is not anticipated that there will be any significant impacts on air quality, noise, traffic and infrastructure, hydrology, socio-economics or cultural heritage during the operation of the transmission line. There will be the potential for impact to local ornithology though significant impacts would not be expected in the vicinity of the power station from the data collected at the site which is also considered to be fairly typical of the area. There will also be a permanent visual impact associated with the proposed transmission lines.

There is the potential for minor changes to ecology in the area including the potential for changes in the predation patterns of animals such as dogs that can alter their territories to incorporate areas under transmission lines.

The potential environmental impacts associated with the transmission line and substation are discussed in detail in the ESIA for the project included as Appendix M of this ESIA.


The transmission line to the proposed plant will need to be constructed before the commissioning phase of the power plant to allow for export of electricity from the proposed site. It is therefore extremely likely that the construction of this project would coincide with that of the power station itself.



Cumulative impact would be minimal in terms of construction, as the construction of the transmission line would be of a short duration unlikely to exceed more than a few months.

It is considered that given the location of the proposed transmission lines that there will be no significant cumulative impact.

7.11.3 Cumulative impact with other existing and proposed projects

The potential exists for the project to give rise to a cumulative impact with existing and proposed projects.

There are no industrial projects within 6 km of the Amman East site with the nearest industrial site being located come 6 km to the south east at the King Abdulla Industrial Estate, Sahab. There is not considered to be a potential for cumulative impact associated with this site. Cumulative impact to air quality with regard to the Hussein Thermal Power station and the Jordan Petroleum Refinery is discussed in Section 4.

There are 2 proposed/in development projects that could potentially give rise to a cumulative impact associated when considered with the Amman East project. These are:

• The CCGT plant at Samra

• The Amman Ring Road

7.11.3.1 Samra CCGT

The potential for a cumulative impact between the Amman East and Samra CCGT plants is limited due to distance to the that arising from emissions to air. This is discussed further in Section 7.1.8.

7.11.3.2 Amman ring road

It is understood that a ring road will be constructed around Amman that will potentially pass the site immediately to the west.

The cumulative impact associated with the construction of the road and power station cannot easily be estimated however it is not considered that this will be especially significant as the area of road to be constructed adjacent the plant will likely be completed within a few months. Also the construction of this section of the road may well take place at a different time to the construction of the plant.

Three will be a cumulative impact associated with the operation of the plant and the opening of the road to traffic on air quality in the area though this should not be unacceptable when seen against the relatively low levels of background air pollution.

7.11.4 Conclusion

The installation of the support infrastructure including the transmission line, substation and water and gas pipelines is not expected to be significant. In all cases the responsibility for the consenting,



construction and operation of these lies completely outside the control of AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co. In all cases there is an obligation one the relevant parties to install the infrastructure to aloe for the operation of the Amman East CCGT. There are no legal implications associated with the consenting, construction and operation of this infrastructure.




8. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND MITIGATION PROGRAMME

Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) has been prepared for the project and is presented below. This document provides information on the mitigation measures that are discussed in detail in the ES and identifies any monitoring that will be necessary in order to ensure that these are being successfully implemented. This is provided for both the construction and operational phases. The EPC Contractors HSE Plan and the Operations EMS will be prepared at a later date and will include further details on the manner in which the aims of the EMMP will be implemented.

In preparing the EMMP consideration has been given as appropriate to the IFC’s Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability. Consideration has also been given to the relevant Jordanian legislation as necessary including:

• Instruction for management and handling of hazardous waste


• Public Health Act (No. 54,2002)

• Instruction of managing and circulating of the waste oils


Due to the proven nature of CCGT technology the plant to be constructed will be able to take advantage of many years of development in the process that make CCGT plants an inherently clean and safe way of generating electricity. As a result of this there is little by way of mitigation and monitoring additional to that which is inherent in the plant design necessary and therefore little by way of additional expense.

All monitoring and mitigation measures during the construction phase will be the responsibility of the EPC contractor who will pay for these as necessary. The cost of this mitigation is negligible and is in any case part of best working practices. The only expenses identified as being especially significant are the formulation of a Traffic management, a Heath and Safety Plan and any land reinstatement. The total incurred expense for these works will be of the order $130,000.

In addition to this the plant may need to be equipped with noise enclosures for all plant items where practicable, not overlooking smaller plant items such as compressors and pumps the cost to the construction (and the proponent) would be about $2 m. The Proponent will also need to prepare/commission an emergency response plan for spillage of hazardous materials, leaks for fuel tanks etc which could cost of the order of $10 000. These prices would cover the full construction and operational phases of the project.

No other additional mitigation expenses are predicted for the proponent and contractor. There are not expected to be any expenses incurred by any government ministries with regard to mitigation.

Monitoring costs would be minimal and would principally be associated with the purchase of monitoring equipment and the employment of the relevant environmental managers. It is not



expected that the cost of monitoring will exceed $10,000 with regard to the expenses incurred by the contractor and a similar amount by the proponent (annually). The cost of the most expensive monitoring device the continuous emission monitoring device would likely be of the order of $300,000 but is part of the plant design and must therefore be discounted from the additional costs associated with the plants operation.

Key mitigation and monitoring objectives of the EMMP include:

• The bunding of all storage tanks and containers with 110 per cent impermeable bunds to ensure that in the event that a tank were to leak all material is contained and could be safely removed and the tank was repaired;

• The use of dust suppression measures such as the use of water bowsers to minimize the potential for dust creation during the construction period;

• The encouraging of the use of public transport, car sharing or use of minibuses to minimize the impact of the projects construction and operational activities on the local traffic infrastructure;

• The installation of a continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS) in the stack of the power station during operation to ensure that all emissions limits are adhered to; and

• The installation of fire protection measures to ensure that any fire can be combated effectively.

To ensure that the monitoring and mitigation measures outlined in the EMMP are successfully implemented a environmental and safety manager will be appointed during the construction and operational phases to oversee the process.

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Air Quality

Dust creation from soil movements, emissions from vehicles etc

Moderate Significance

A Water Bowser will be used if required (following tests to determine the moisture content of material)

Excavation faces not being worked will, if required, be either sheeted or treated with a chemical dust suppressant

All operatives working in areas of potential dust emission will be provided with paper facemasks.


All stockpiles will be located away from sensitive receptors wherever possible.

Materials deposited on stockpiles on site will be closely monitored for any possible emission of dust and if required they will be damped down, covered or treated with a dust suppressant.

All vehicles carrying bulk materials into and out of the site will be sheeted so as to contain any material that may be dispersed during transit. Minimum drop heights will be used during material transfer

Daily visual inspections will be made to ensure that good practice is employed at all times. Inspections will include monitoring of exit points and the immediate area outside the site entrance. The inspections will be made against the EPC contractors CEMP.

If finely ground materials are delivered, these will be in bag form or stockpiled in specified locations where the material can be suitably covered.

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Engines will be switched off when not in use.

All vehicles will be properly maintained to reduce air emissions

Water Quality and Soil

Protection of ground waters Moderate Significance


Potential leakage of storage tanks



Daily visual inspection of bunded areas will be made to ensure the effectiveness of these systems.

Protection of ground and surface waters






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Storage of construction materials will be in assigned areas and follow standard best working practices.



Water inflows to excavated areas to be minimized by the use of lining materials, good house keeping techniques and by the control of drainage and construction materials in order to prevent the contamination of ground water.

Reuse excavated material within the site boundary where practicable which would reduce the volume of excavated material going off site to landfill.


Segregation of contaminated excavated material (should this be encountered), from non-contaminated excavated material would be made with the contaminated soils removed to an appropriate disposal site.

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Noise

Construction noise Moderate significance

All construction activities would be carried out in accordance with the recommendations of BS 5228

Daily auditory inspection/walk round to ensure best practicable means are being employed

All vehicles and mechanical plant used for construction would be fitted with effective exhaust silencers, and regularly maintained.

Inherently quiet plant would be used where appropriate

All major compressors would be sound-reduced models fitted with properly lined and sealed acoustic covers which would be kept closed whenever the machines are in use, and all ancillary pneumatic percussive tools would be fitted with mufflers or silencers of the type recommended by the manufacturers.

All ancillary plant such as generators, compressors and pumps would be positioned so as to cause minimum noise disturbance. If necessary, temporary acoustic barriers or enclosures would be provided.

Ecology

Aqueous effluent and runoff Moderate Significance

Potential aqueous effluent and runoff from site activities will be kept to an absolute minimum so as to ensure that there is no contamination of habitats and ecosystems outside the project boundary.

Visual inspection to ensure that construction impacts do not spread onto other land.

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Removal of existing natural vegetation

Low Significance

Unnecessary removal of existing natural vegetation will be avoided.

Workers will be required not to cut down plants in the surrounding area for fires etc.

Destruction of bird nests Low Significance


Disturbance to wildlife Low Significance


Planting of exotic or invasive plants

Low Significance

The planting of exotic or invasive plants for landscaping inside and around the plant will be prohibited

Hunting or killing of animals Low Significance


Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

Visual impact

Visual impact of construction


Construction equipment such as cranes etc that will be sized so as to serve their intended use without presenting an overly intrusive visual impact.


Visual inspections will be made to ensure that plant wastes are not escaping to the surrounding environment.

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Land not required for permanent use by the power station will be reinstated to original or better condition.

Traffic and infrastructure

Construction traffic Moderate Significance

Car sharing and the use of minibuses and public transport will be encouraged

The contractors appointed would be encouraged to provide a minibus service for construction staff

Car sharing and the use of minibuses and public transport will be encouraged by all staff

Vehicle emissions Moderate Significance

Regular servicing and maintenance of vehicles will be employed to help minimize emissions to air

Dust and dirt generation Moderate Significance

Wheel washing may be employed to help prevent mud and earth being carried from the site on to local roads

Visual checks will be made to ensure that dust creation and mud carry are not encountered to any significant degree.

In dry periods onsite roads may be dampened to reduce the potential for dust creation

Road Safety Adequate signage will be put in place as necessary. The plant operator will check that all signage is in place as necessary.

Drivers accessing the site will be obliged to comply with all Jordanian road safety laws

Where locals report cases of law breaking by staff with regard to speed limits etc this will be internally investigated as necessary.

Construction traffic management


A Traffic Management plan will be prepare to help minimize the impact to the local traffic network.

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Archaeology

Archaeological site finds Moderate Significance

Construction staff will report any finds that may have cultural or archaeological significance.

Construction staff will be requested to report any archaeological finds to an appropriate manager.


The Contractor shall seek the written approval of the Department of Antiquities before the removal of any chance find building, foundation, structure, fence and other obstruction over 50 years old, any portion of which is in the quarrel.

Socioeconomics

Worker rights NA Labour law (No.51,2002) will be applied and complied with throughout the duration of the project as necessary.

On site Health and Safety

Safety NA Equipment, tools and substances will be suitable for their use and selected to minimize dangers to safety or health when used correctly.

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Work places will where possible receive natural light and be supplemented with sufficient artificial illumination, and signage will appropriately mark hazards, exits, materials etc.

Ventilation design factors will consider physical activity, substances in use and process related emissions. Temperatures will be maintained at levels appropriate for the purpose of the facility.

Fire prevention and protection will be adequate for the dimensions and use of the premises, equipment installed, physical and chemical properties of substances present, and the maximum number of people present. Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area. These will include fixed foam protection systems, fire alarms, portable appliances, etc.

The plant will also store firewater sufficient to meet the requirements of the Jordan Fire Department and the local fire code requirements.

Places of work, traffic routes and passageways shall be kept free from waste and spillage, regularly cleaned, and maintained. First aid facilities will be provided and will be easily accessible throughout the place of work. Welfare facilities will include locker rooms, an adequate number of toilets with washbasins, and a room dedicated for eating. An ample supply of drinking water will be provided at all places of work.

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Buildings and structures will be designed according to local and internationally recognized standards. They will be structurally safe, provide appropriate protection against the climate and have acceptable light and noise conditions.

Personal protection equipment will be identified and provided, that will offer adequate protection to the worker, co-workers and occasional visitors without incurring unnecessary inconvenience. The use of PPE will be actively enforced if alternative technologies, work plans or procedures cannot eliminate or sufficiently reduce a hazard or exposure. The employer shall ensure that PPE is cleaned when dirty, properly maintained and replaced when damaged or worn out. Proper use of PPE shall be part of the recurrent training programs for employees.

Daily visual inspection of use of PPE equipment would be made.

Exposure to vibration from equipment will be controlled through selection of equipment and limitation of time of exposure. The limits for vibration and action values will conform to those provided by the IFC guidelines for OHS.

Indoor temperatures will be maintained such that they are reasonable and appropriate for the work at site. Risks of heat related stress will be adequately addressed and feasible control measures implemented for work.

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First aid facility adequately and appropriately stocked A register of accidents on site would be maintained with prevention training sessions held.

A health and safety plan would be prepared with the aim of preventing accidents and injuries for both and construction and operation stages of the project.

Review site specific health and safety plan would be made on an appropriately regular basis.

Sufficient training will be provided to all workers to ensure heath and safety in the work place

A training register for Employees would be maintained and kept up to date with evaluation of training sessions made.

Community Health and Safety


NA The plant will be located within a security fence ensuring to prevent trespass or accidental entry of the site by local peoples. The plant will also be fitted with security cameras


Transport during all phases of the project will be managed so as to minimize impact to the local community.

Accidents and incidents involving the public will be documented and reported to management.

The transport of raw materials and the transport and disposal of waste will be undertaken in an appropriate manner.

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Project vehicles and equipment will be well maintained with project-related traffic will be requested to travel no faster than the speed limit.

The contractor will allow for a means of complaints regarding on site activities to be made by members of the local community.

A complaints register will be maintained as necessary.

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Air Quality


Dust monitoring programme will be carried out Upon receipt of complaint from local peoples/MoE etc

Inspections will include monitoring of exit points Visual inspections Daily during construction contract

inspection of bunded areas Visual inspections Daily during construction contract

Construction noise Auditory inspection/walk round to ensure best practicable means are being employed

Daily during construction contract

Aqueous effluent and runoff Visual inspection to ensure that construction impacts do not spread onto other land.


Hunting or killing of animals Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

As necessary

Visual impact of construction Visual inspections will be made to ensure that plant wastes are not escaping to the surrounding environment.


Dust and dirt generation Visual checks will be made to ensure that dust creation and mud carry are not encountered to any significant degree.


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Road Safety The plant operator will check that all signage is in place.

As necessary

Where locals report cases of law breaking by staff with regard to speed limits etc this will be internally investigated.

As necessary

Archaeological site finds Construction staff will be requested to report any archaeological finds to an appropriate manager.

As necessary

Safety Visual inspection of use of PPE equipment would be made.

Daily

A register of accidents on site would be maintained with prevention training sessions held.

As necessary


Annually


As necessary


As necessary

A complaints register will be maintained. As necessary

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Air Quality

Emissions to air from burning of natural gas and DFO

High significance

The use of DLN Burners, which ensures NOx levels to be in accordance with Jordanian and World Bank requirements

Stack emissions will be monitored continuously for NOx, O2 and CO by the proponent. Sampling points and safe access adjacent to the continuous monitoring points will be installed.

Operation on natural gas as primary fuel

Operation on a relatively low sulphur DFO fuel during gas supply interruption

A stack of sufficient height and flue gases of sufficient temperature and velocity to ensure good dispersion.

Fugitive dust emissions Low significance

General good housekeeping to prevent fugitive dust emissions

Water Quality and Soils

Potential leakage of storage tanks

High significance

All oil and chemical storage tanks and areas where drums are stored will be surrounded by an impermeable bund. Single tanks will be within bunds sized to contain 110 per cent of capacity and multiple tanks or drums will be within bunds sized to contain 110 per cent of the capacity of the largest tank. Permanently fixed taps, filler pipes, pumping equipment, vents and sight glasses will also be located within the bunded area.



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Taps and valves will be designed to discharge downwards and will be shut and locked in that position. Manually started electrically operated pumps will remove surface water collected within the bund and its composition will be verified prior to disposal (for maintenance of the system)

The inspection of oil interceptors will be undertaken on a regular basis.

An oily waste water drainage system will drain all areas where oil spillages could occur. The design will incorporate oil interceptors and traps. These will discharge with the other surface water discharge to the storm water discharge system. The discharge from each oil interceptor will contain no visible oil or grease.

Waste disposal Low significance

Disposal of the sludge from the evaporation ponds will be undertaken by an appropriate contractor and disposed of off site at an appropriate disposal site.

Sludge removed in the oily waste separation pond will be removed by road tanker and disposed of at an appropriate disposal site.

Wastewater containing detergent will be discharged to the oily waste separation pond and oil separators prior to discharge to an on site chemical wastewater storage pond.


Hazardous substances Moderate significance


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Flood risk Low significance

The plant will be designed taking into consideration the danger of flash floods. This may include such measures as construction of a diversion channel or berm surrounding the plant facilities.

Proper waste water treatment

Moderate significance


Waste disposal Low significance


Noise

Operational noise Moderate significance

Since tonal or impulsive noises are considered more annoying than continuous noise sources, plant items will be silenced or otherwise controlled through regular maintenance to ensure no such emissions are audible at NSR locations

Provisions to be put in place for the monitoring of noise at sensitive receptors (on and off site) in the event that there is a complaint or reason for concern.

High performance acoustic enclosures will be considered for all plant items where practicable, not overlooking smaller plant items such as compressors and pumps

Site walkover surveys and occasional noise monitoring at sensitive receptors will be undertaken as deemed appropriate

Internal surfaces within the turbine hall will be treated to control internal reverberant noise levels. An appropriate treatment would consist of dense mineral wool panel behind perforated sheet steel, or a spray on cellulose fibre treatment

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Ecology

Removal of existing natural vegetation

Low Significance

The proponent will avoid any unnecessary removal of existing natural vegetation.

Unauthorized/ inappropriate parking

Low Significance

Use of machinery will be restricted to the proposed site as will parking of vehicles.

Contamination by vehicle maintenance


Any maintenance of vehicles or machinery will be performed off site unless strictly necessary.

Hunting or killing of animals Low Significance

The proponent will not allow workers to hunt or kill animals. Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

Destruction of bird nests Low Significance

The destruction of bird nests will be prohibited.

During night disturbance of wildlife

Low Significance

Construction activity will be kept to a minimum during night time to decrease disturbance on wildlife in the area.

Planting of exotic or invasive plants

Low Significance

The planting of exotic or invasive plants for landscaping inside and around the plant will be prohibited with a preference given to the planting of native species where landscaping is deemed necessary

Disposal of domestic or industrial wastes


Disposal of domestic or industrial wastes will be to appropriate disposal sites.

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No materials will be disposed of on site and in the in the surrounding area especially at the near shallow wadies.

Unauthorized/ inappropriate parking

Low Significance

Parking on areas outside the project area will not be allowed unless strictly necessary.

Light pollution Moderate Significance

Directional lighting and buffer planting to screen the plant.

Visual impact

Visual impact of power station


The architectural design of the buildings will be carefully considered to provide a high standard of visual amenity, given practical and economic constraints.

Visual inspection will be made to check for any degradation of the power stations appearance.



The external structures of the buildings will be designed such that there will be no deterioration in the power station’s appearance over the 30 years lifetime of the plant with steel structures of the plant painted with surface protected suitable for local conditions in accordance with the standards and practices of the Steel Structures Painting Council.

Light pollution Moderate Significance

Directional lighting will be employed to minimize light pollution.

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Light will be switch off lights when not required for safety, security.

Screening NA Trees and bushes may be planted to provide screening for local receptors.

Traffic and Infrastructure

Vehicle emissions Moderate Significance

Regular servicing and maintenance of vehicles will be undertaken to minimize emissions to air, noise, leaks etc.

Safety Moderate Significance

Safety training may be provided to vehicle drivers if considered necessary

Traffic management Moderate Significance



Socioeconomics

Worker rights NA Labour law (No 51,2002) will be applied and complied with throughout the duration of the project as necessary.

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Safety

Safety NA Equipment, tools and substances will be suitable for their use and selected to minimize dangers to safety or health when used correctly.



Fire prevention and protection will be adequate for the dimensions and use of the premises, equipment installed, physical and chemical properties of substances present, and the maximum number of people present. Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area.

These will include fixed foam protection systems, fire alarms, portable appliances, etc. The plant will also store firewater sufficient to meet the requirements of the Jordan Fire Department and the local fire code requirements.

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First aid facility adequately and appropriately stocked


Safety


NA The plant will be located within a security fence ensuring to prevent trespass or accidental entry of the site by local peoples. The plant will also be fitted with security cameras






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Air Quality


Stack emissions will be monitored for NOx, O2 and CO

Continuous

Water Quality

Potential leakage of storage tanks Visual inspection of bunded areas will be made to ensure the effectiveness of these systems.

Daily

Poor performance of the water treatment system


Weekly

Effectiveness of the oil interceptors The inspection of oil interceptors will be undertaken on a regular basis.

Weekly

Noise

Operational noise Provisions to be put in place for the monitoring of noise at sensitive receptors (on and off site) in the event that there is a complaint or reason for concern.

As necessary


Weekly/As necessary

Ecology

Hunting or killing of animals Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

As necessary

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Visual Impact

Visual impact of power station Visual inspection will be made to check for any degradation of the power stations appearance.

Monthly


Weekly


Community Health and Safety Accidents and incidents involving the public will be documented and reported to management.

As necessary

A complaints register will be maintained. As necessary

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Air Quality


Water Bowser Following tests to determine the moisture content of material

Contractor $4,500 (period of contract)

N/A

Materials deposited on stockpiles on site will be closely monitored for any possible emission of dust and if required they will be damped down, covered or treated with a dust suppressant.

If identified as an issue Contractor $3,000 (period of contract)

N/A

All operatives working in areas of potential dust emission will be provided with paper facemasks.

Automatically applied for on site staff as appropriate


N/A

All stockpiles will be located away from sensitive receptors wherever possible.

Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement as necessary and that the procedure is properly implemented.

Contractor $500 (period of contract)

N/A

All vehicles carrying bulk materials into and out of the site will be sheeted so as to contain any material that may be dispersed during transit. Minimum drop heights will be used during material transfer

Automatically applied to all applicable vehicles, Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement as necessary and that the procedure is properly implemented.


N/A

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If finely ground materials are delivered, these will be in bag form or stockpiled in specified locations where the material can be suitably covered.



N/A

Engines will be switched off when not in use.


Contractor Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

All vehicles will be properly maintained to reduce air emissions

As necessary Contractor $15,000 (period of contract)

N/A


Daily visual inspections with implementation of dust suppression measures as necessary.


N/A

Daily visual inspections will be made to ensure that good practice is employed at all times. Inspections will include monitoring of exit points and the immediate area outside the site entrance.

Daily visual inspections with implementation of wheel washing/dust suppression measures as necessary.

Contractor Minimal cost (part of Environmental managers remit).

N/A

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The inspections will be made against the EPC contractors CEMP.

Water Quality

Water Quality DFO storage tanks to be located on an impervious base provided with bund walls to give a containment capacity of at least 110 per cent of the tank volume. All valves and couplings to be contained within the bunded area.

Automatically applied as part of plant design

Contractor $70,000 (single payment)

N/A


Sufficient toilets will be provided based on the number of staff with regular tankering of waste.


N/A

Any surface water contaminated by hydrocarbons, which are used during the construction phase, to be passed through oil/grit interceptor(s) prior to collection and removal off site to an appropriate disposal site.



N/A

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Measures to be taken to ensure that no leachate or any surface water that has the potential to be contaminated to be allowed to enter directly or indirectly any water course, underground strata or adjoining land.



N/A

Provisions to be made so that any existing drainage systems continue to operate.

As necessary, where these are encountered this will be addressed.


N/A




N/A




N/A


Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the


N/A

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requirement as necessary and that the procedure is properly implemented.


Staff will be required to report this as and when it occurs


N/A




N/A




N/A

Storage of construction materials will be in assigned areas and follow standard best working practices.



N/A



N/A

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Water inflows to excavated areas to be minimized by the use of lining materials, good house keeping techniques and by the control of drainage and construction materials in order to prevent the contamination of ground water.



N/A

Reuse excavated material within the site boundary where practicable which would reduce the volume of excavated material going off site to landfill.

Part of best working practice Contractor Minimal cost N/A




N/A

Segregation of contaminated excavated material (should this be encountered), from non-contaminated excavated material would be made with the contaminated soils removed to an appropriate disposal site.



N/A


Daily visual inspection of bunded areas will be made and effectiveness noted.


N/A

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Noise

All construction activities would be carried out in accordance with the recommendations of BS 5228

Part of EPC contract requirements, any complaints would be investigated.


N/A

All vehicles and mechanical plant used for construction would be fitted with effective exhaust silencers, and regularly maintained.

Automatically applied as best working practice.


N/A

Inherently quiet plant would be used where appropriate

Automatically applied as best working practice.

Contractor Inherent in design N/A

All major compressors would be sound-reduced models fitted with properly lined and sealed acoustic covers which would be kept closed whenever the machines are in use, and all ancillary pneumatic percussive tools would be fitted with mufflers or silencers of the type recommended by the manufacturers.


Contractor $3,000 (one off payment)

N/A

All ancillary plant such as generators, compressors and pumps would be positioned so as to cause minimum noise disturbance. If necessary, temporary acoustic barriers or enclosures would be provided.



N/A

Daily auditory inspection/walk round to ensure best practicable means are

Daily auditory inspection/walk round. Complaints would be


N/A

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being employed investigated.

Ecology

Potential aqueous effluent and runoff from site activities will be kept to an absolute minimum so as to ensure that there is no contamination of habitats and ecosystems outside the project boundary.

Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement as necessary.


N/A

Unnecessary removal of existing natural vegetation will be avoided.



N/A

Workers will be required not to cut down plants in the surrounding area for fires etc.



N/A




N/A


Part of project implementation plan Contractor Part of best working practice

N/A

The planting of exotic or invasive plants for landscaping inside and

Part of plant design. Contractor Part of best working N/A

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around the plant will be prohibited practice


Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement.

Contractor Part of best working practice

N/A

Visual inspection to ensure that construction impacts do not spread onto other land.

Visual inspection Contractor Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

Visual impact


Part of EPC Contract Contractor Part of best working practice

N/A

Land not required for permanent use by the power station will be reinstated to original or better condition.

Part of EPC Contract, will be checked before handover of the plant


N/A


Visual inspections Contractor ca~ $100,000 part of EPC contract (period of contract)

N/A

Transport and infrastructure

Car sharing and the use of minibuses The EPC Contractor will encourage Contractor Part of best working N/A

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and public transport will be encouraged

staff to do so practice

The contractors appointed would be encouraged to provide a minibus service for construction staff


N/A

Car sharing and the use of minibuses and public transport will be encouraged by all staff

The EPC Contractor will encourage staff to do so

Contractor Part of best working practice

N/A

Regular servicing and maintenance of vehicles will be employed to help minimize emissions to air


N/A

Wheel washing may be employed to help prevent mud and earth being carried from the site on to local roads

Visual inspections will be used to confirm or otherwise the need for this.


N/A

In dry periods onsite roads may be dampened to reduce the potential for dust creation

Visual inspections will be used to confirm or otherwise the need for this.


N/A

A Traffic Management plan will be prepare to help minimize the impact to the local traffic network.

Part of EPC Contract Contractor $10,000 (one off payment)

N/A

Visual checks will be made to ensure that dust creation and mud carry are not encountered to any significant degree.

Visual checks Contractor Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

The plant operator will check that all signage is in place as necessary.


N/A

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Where locals report cases of law breaking by staff with regard to speed limits etc this will be internally investigated as necessary.

As necessary Contractor Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

Visual checks will be made to ensure that, emissions and dust creation and mud carry are not encountered to any significant degree.


N/A

Archaeology




N/A

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The Contractor shall seek the written approval of the Department of Antiquities before the removal of any chance find building, foundation, structure, fence and other obstruction over 50 years old, any portion of which is in the quarrel.

As necessary Contractor Part of best working practice

N/A

Construction staff will be requested to report any archaeological finds to an appropriate manager.



N/A

Socioeconomics


Managers will be made aware of the requirements of the law

Contractor/proponent

Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

On-site health and safety

Equipment, tools and substances will be suitable for their use and selected to minimize dangers to safety or health when used correctly.

Part of EPC Contract. Guidance and training will be provided on equipment use etc as necessary.


N/A

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Part of plant design and best working practice


N/A

Ventilation design factors will con-sider physical activity, substances in use and process related emissions. Temperatures will be maintained at levels appropriate for the purpose of the facility.

Part of plant design and best working practice, will be automatically applied


Fire prevention and protection will be adequate for the dimensions and use of the premises, equipment installed, physical and chemical properties of substances present, and the maximum number of people present. Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area. These will include fixed foam protection systems, fire alarms, portable appliances, etc. The plant will also store firewater sufficient to meet the requirements of the Jordan Fire Department and the local fire code requirements.


Contractor/ proponent

$300,000 (one off payment)

N/A

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Visual inspections will be made as necessary to ensure that facilities remain adequate

Contractor/proponent

$10,000 (one off payment then part of best working practice)

N/A


Part of plant design and requirement of EPC Contract.


Personal protection equipment will be identified and provided, that will offer adequate protection to the worker, co-workers and occasional visitors without incurring unnecessary inconvenience. The use of PPE will be actively enforced if alternative technologies, work plans or procedures cannot eliminate or sufficiently reduce a hazard or

Personal protection equipment will be identified and provided. The use of PPE will be actively enforced by site managers/foremen etc.

Contractor $15,000 (initially then replaced as necessary)

$1000

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exposure. The employer shall ensure that PPE is cleaned when dirty, properly maintained and replaced when damaged or worn out. Proper use of PPE shall be part of the recurrent training programs for employees.


Exposure to vibration from equipment will be controlled through selection of equipment and limitation


$1000


Part of plant design. Contractor $150,000 (one off payment then minimal additional costs)

$1000


Visual inspections and reordering of supplies as necessary

Contractor $15,000 (one off payment then minimal additional operational costs)

$500

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A health and safety plan would be prepared


N/A


A training register for Employees will be maintained

Contractor Responsibility of Project Manager/ plant manager Zero cost

N/A


Daily visual inspection by site managers/foremen etc

Contractor Responsibility of safety Manager Zero cost

N/A


As necessary accidents will be registered.

Contractor Responsibility of safety Manager (Zero cost)

N/A


Annual review by safety manager/officer

Contractor $2000 $2000

Off-site health and safety


Part of EPC contract/plat design Contractor $120,000 (one off payment then minimal additional operational costs)

$500

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N/A


Preparation of traffic management plan and consideration of any complaints as necessary


N/A


Best working practices will be applied and any complaints investigated.


N/A


Staff will be made aware of the requirement. Preparation of traffic management plan will be made and consideration of any complaints as necessary


N/A


As necessary Contractor Responsibility of Project Manager/ plant manager Zero cost

N/A


As necessary Contractor Responsibility of Project Manager/ plant manager Zero cost

N/A

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Air Quality


The use of DLN Burners, which ensures NOx levels to be in accordance with Jordanian and World Bank requirements

Part of plant design and requirement of EPC Contract

Contractor $160,000 N/A

Operation on natural gas as primary fuel


Proponent Inherent in design N/A

Operation on a relatively low sulphur DFO fuel during gas supply interruption

Sourcing of appropriate fuel Proponent Inherent in design N/A

A stack of sufficient height and flue gases of sufficient temperature and velocity to ensure good dispersion.



Stack emissions will be monitored for NOx, O2 and CO

Part of plant design and requirement of EPC Contract. The proponent will ensure that the monitor is properly calibrated on an annual basis.

Proponent $5000 $5000

Fugitive dust emissions General good housekeeping to prevent fugitive dust emissions

The environmental manager will make staff aware of the requirement.

Proponent $3,000 $3,000

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Water Quality

All oil and chemical storage tanks and areas where drums are stored will be surrounded by an impermeable bund. Single tanks will be within bunds sized to contain 110 per cent of capacity and multiple tanks or drums will be within bunds sized to contain 110 per cent of the capacity of the largest tank. Permanently fixed taps, filler pipes, pumping equipment, vents and sight glasses will also be located within the bunded area. Taps and valves will be designed to discharge downwards and will be shut and locked in that position. Manually started electrically operated pumps will remove surface water collected within the bund and its composition will be verified prior to disposal. (for maintenance of the system)



$500 (one off payment)

N/A

An oily waste water drainage system will drain all areas where oil spillages could occur. The design will incorporate oil interceptors and traps. These will discharge with the other surface water discharge to the



Inherent in design no additional cost

N/A

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storm water discharge system. The discharge from each oil interceptor will contain no visible oil or grease.

Disposal of the sludge from the evaporation ponds will be undertaken by an appropriate contractor and disposed of off site at an appropriate disposal site.

Disposal to appropriate disposal site as necessary.

Proponent $2,000 $2,000

Sludge removed in the oily waste separation pond will be removed by road tanker and disposed of at an appropriate disposal site.

Disposal to appropriate disposal site as necessary.

Proponent $500 $500

Waste water containing detergent will be discharged to the oily waste separation pond and oil separators prior to discharge to an on site chemical waste water storage pond.


Proponent $1,000 $1,000





Emergency response plans will be developed

Proponent $10,000 N/A

The plant will be designed taking into consideration the danger of flash floods. This may include such



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measures as construction of a diversion channel or berm surrounding the plant facilities.


All elements of the treatment systems will be regularly monitored by the plant staff as necessary

Proponent Part of best working practice

N/A



Proponent $400 N/A

Visual inspection of bunded areas will be made to ensure the effectiveness of these systems.

Visual inspection of bunded areas will be made.


N/A

The inspection of oil interceptors will be undertaken on a regular basis.

Inspection of oil interceptors will be undertaken


N/A

Noise

Since tonal or impulsive noises are considered more annoying than continuous noise sources, plant items will be silenced or otherwise controlled through regular maintenance to ensure no such emissions are audible at NSR locations


Contractor $2,000 $2,000

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High performance acoustic enclosures will be considered for all plant items where practicable, not overlooking smaller plant items such as compressors and pumps

Part of plant design and requirement of EPC Contract if required

Contractor $2,000,000 N/A

Internal surfaces within the turbine hall will be treated to control internal reverberant noise levels. An appropriate treatment would consist of dense mineral wool panel behind perforated sheet steel, or a spray on cellulose fibre treatment



Provisions to be put in place for the monitoring of noise at sensitive receptors (on and off site) in the event that there is a complaint or reason for concern.

Monitoring in the event of complaint as necessary

Proponent $500 (equipment purchase)

minimal


Site walkover surveys and occasional noise monitoring.

Proponent (equipment purchase above)

minimal

Ecology

The proponent will avoid any unnecessary removal of existing natural vegetation.



N/A

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Use of machinery will be restricted to the proposed site as will parking of vehicles.

Managers will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement as necessary.


N/A

Any maintenance of vehicles or machinery will be performed off site unless strictly necessary.


Proponent $2,000 $2,000

The proponent will not allow workers to hunt or kill animals.



N/A

The destruction of bird nests will be prohibited.



N/A

The planting of exotic or invasive plants for landscaping inside and around the plant will be prohibited with a preference given to the planting of native species where landscaping is deemed necessary



N/A

Disposal of domestic or industrial wastes will be to appropriate disposal sites.

Disposal of domestic or industrial wastes to appropriate disposal sites as necessary

Proponent $2,000 $2,000

No materials will be disposed of on site and in the in the surrounding area especially at the near shallow wadies.

Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement. Any materials found will be removed

Proponent $500 $500

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Parking on areas outside the project area will not be allowed unless strictly necessary.

Managers will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement as necessary.


N/A

Directional lighting and buffer planting to screen the plant.



Any accidents resulting in the death of wild life will be reported to the Ministry of Environment and RSCN.

Environmental manager will ensure that staff are aware of the requirement.


N/A

Visual Impact The architectural design of the

buildings will be carefully considered to provide a high standard of visual amenity, given practical and economic constraints.






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The external structures of the buildings will be designed such that there will be no deterioration in the power station’s appearance over the 30 years lifetime of the plant with steel structures of the plant painted with surface protected suitable for local conditions in accordance with the standards and practices of the Steel Structures Painting Council.



Directional lighting will be employed to minimize light pollution.



Light will be switch off lights when not required for safety, security.

Staff will be made aware of this requirement by the management


N/A

Trees and bushes may be planted to provide screening for local receptors.






N/A

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N/A

Traffic and Infrastructure

Regular servicing and maintenance of vehicles will be undertaken to minimize emissions to air, noise, leaks etc.

As necessary Proponent $15,000 (period of contract)

N/A

Safety training may be provided to vehicle drivers if considered necessary

As necessary Proponent $500 $500


Plant Manager to ensure compliance

Proponent N/A N/A


Drivers will be made aware of the requirement and complaints investigated

Proponent N/A N/A

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Socioeconomics


Managers will be made aware of the requirements of the law

proponent Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

On-site health and safety

Equipment, tools and substances will be suitable for their use and selected to minimize dangers to safety or health when used correctly.

Part of EPC Contract. Guidance and training will be provided on equipment use etc as necessary.


Equipment supplied by EPC see above tables

N/A


Part of plant design Contractor N/A N/A


Part of plant design, then regulation of plant conditions though monitoring of temperatures

Proponent $200 $200

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Fire prevention and protection will be adequate for the dimensions and use of the premises, equipment installed, physical and chemical properties of substances present, and the maximum number of people present. Fire detection and protection systems will be provided throughout the plant and site area. These will include fixed foam protection systems, fire alarms, portable appliances, etc. The plant will also store firewater sufficient to meet the requirements of the Jordan Fire Department and the local fire code requirements.


Contractor/proponent $300,000 (one off payment)

N/A


Visual inspections will be made as necessary to ensure that facilities remain adequate

Contractor/proponent $10,000 (one off payment then part of best working practice)

N/A

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Part of plant design and requirement of EPC Contract.



Personal protection equipment will be identified and provided. The use of PPE will be actively enforced by site managers/foremen etc.

Proponent $15,000 (initially then replaced as necessary)

$1000

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Exposure to vibration from equipment will be controlled through selection of equipment and limitation

Contractor/ Proponent


$1000


Part of plant design. Contractor/ Proponent

$150,000 (one off payment then minimal additional costs)

$1000


Visual inspections and reordering of supplies as necessary

Proponent $15,000 (one off payment then minimal additional operational costs)

$500


A health and safety plan would be prepared



N/A


A training register for Employees will be maintained

Proponent Responsibility of Project Manager/ plant manager Zero cost

N/A

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Daily visual inspection by site managers/foremen etc

Proponent Responsibility of safety Manager Zero cost

N/A


As necessary accidents will be registered.

Proponent Responsibility of safety Manager (Zero cost)

N/A


Annual review by safety manager/officer


Off-site health and safety


Part of EPC contract/plat design


$500 for camera operation (fence part of EPC Contract)

$500


Best working practices will be applied and any complaints investigated.



Staff will be made aware of the requirement. Preparation of traffic management plan will be made and consideration of any complaints as necessary

Proponent Part of best working practice Minimal cost

N/A

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As necessary Proponent Responsibility of Project Manager/ plant manager Zero cost

N/A


As necessary Proponent Responsibility of Project Manager/ plant manager Zero cost

N/A



9. INTERAGENCY, PUBLIC AND NGO CONSULTATION

This section summarizes the measures taken in order to facilitate the involvement of Government ministries/agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations and members of the general public in the ESIA process for the proposed Amman East IPP project.

9.1 Scoping exercise

A Scoping Study for the project was undertaken by PB Power and ACES in July 2006. This described the key environmental issues that, in PB Power’s opinion, would require detailed evaluation as part of this Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process.

The principle objectives of the scoping study were to:

• Identify the key environmental issues to be included in the assessment.

• Identify the legal requirements and framework for the project through the course of its lifetime.

• Identify the relevant component studies to establish the relevant baseline for the project.

• To finalize the proposed Terms of Reference (ToR).

A formal scoping session was held on the 4 July 2006 in the Holiday Inn, Amman on the request of the Ministry of Environment (MoE) in accordance with MoE ESIA regulation. The MoE invited relevant and potentially relevant stakeholders to this scoping session including organizations from the public and private sectors in addition to NGO’s and neighbouring residents. The scoping session was also advertised in the Jordanian Times on the 3 July 2006 (see Appendix A) to allow interested members of the general public to attend the meeting. A list of the participants at this event is provided in Appendix B.

As part of the scoping session members of the ESIA team gave a presentation detailing the project activities, facilities, and processes. Graphics and diagrams were included in the presentation highlighting the importance of the project and the need to identify potential interactions between the project activities and the receiving environment.

The participants were asked to review the legal requirements in the proposed ToR, which were presented on a slide to help identify any additional legislation that could be considered applicable to the project.

The participants were provided with a comments form to detail their concerns regarding the project (if any) with sufficient time was allowed for any comments to be noted. Upon completion all forms were collected by a MoE representative who subsequently provided copies of the forms to the ESIA team to allow these to be considered as part of the ESIA. A summary of the concerns raised in included in Appendix C.



9.2 Additional public consultation







Consultation has also been made with members of the local communities that might be effected by the proposed Transmission line. Information on this consultation can be found in the ESIA for the tranmsision line project that is included in Appendix M of this ESIA.

9.2.1 Consultation methodology



The consultation process employed two assessment methods to gauge the opinion of the village residents on the project affording them the chance to express and concerns relating to the proposed development.

The consulting process started with house to house meeting with local people to explain the nature of the project and the expected effects and benefits on the surrounding environment and people and ended with public hearing conducted in the school of Al-Manakher village (Photographs of the hearing can be seen in Appendix I).

A survey was also undertaken of local opinion. This included:-

1. Provision of a leaflet discussing the project which was distributed to the village people in Arabic (see Appendix J). This included:



• An introduction to the project and nature of the plant processes.

• Comparison between the combined cycle gas turbine and the traditional methods of electricity production, with discussion of the process benefits.

• The positive affects of the project on the surrounding area and people.

2. A brief verbal description of the project, and its positive affects on them and on their village. Complains and fears (where these were expressed) were discussed to allow for a better understanding of the project and its impacts as necessary.

3. Finally participants were invited to fill the survey questionnaire form in Arabic language. Where the interviewee was illiterate they were helped by the consultants and literate people from the local community to fill the forms.

4. On the last day of the consultation around fifty members of the local community attended a Eftar banquet held by the proponent which allowed the members of the ESIA and development team to meet many of the local residents an discuss the project in a less formal setting.

5. A survey questionnaire containing 11 questions was distributed to participants in the consultation process. Where a question generated a 30 per cent negative response this has been considered in detail to determine if a solution can be found to the concern expressed.

9.2.2 Survey findings

Some 72 members of the community chose to complete the survey 22 of whom were consulted by house to house visits. If the 72 survey participants, 12 were women. The findings of the survey are presented in Table 9.1.

TABLE 9.1 PUBLIC CONSULTATION SURVEY FINDINGS

Answer Question

Positive. Negative


Do you think that you or any one in your family will profit by working in the plant? 59 13 No mitigation necessary

Do you believe that you will benefit (directly or indirectly) from this project? 61 11 No mitigation necessary

Prices of electricity due to the use of Egyptian gas, do you think that this will affect the electricity prices and what is the affect on the other sectors if so?

33 39

Desire from local community for provision of electricity (this may not be able to be accommodated though will be investigated further).



Answer Question

Positive. Negative


Do you think that the construction of the project will increase the land prices? 51 41 No mitigation necessary

Do you think that the construction of the project will improve the roads network? 68 4 No mitigation necessary

Do you think that the construction of the project will improve the water, electricity and telephone networks?


In your opinion what will be done with the treated wastewater (which is of good quality).

Farming Majority of the people wants this water to be used in the planting trees to be used as buffer zone between the project and the village. This will be considered in the plant design and implemented if feasible.

If empty areas in the plant and planted with vegetation would you think that this will improve the landscape?






What is your suggestion to reduce the adverse effect (if there is any) N/A N/A

Minimum use fuel oil or any other type of energy except for gas and no chemical discharges.

Based on the above mentioned criteria only questions 3 and 4 need to be considered with regard to any additional mitigation measures.

With regard to electricity prices 54 per cent of the public meeting participant did not believe that the electricity prices will go down. The consensus was that the residents of the village should pay just 30 per cent of the actual electricity price. The potential to accommodate such a community benefit will be explored during the development of the project.

57 per cent of the participants initially believe that the land value will be less and it will lose its value due to construction and any environmental impacts of the power plant. During the consultation period there was an open discussion and it was explained that plant is being constructed under strict guide lines of World Bank and Jordanian Regulations and there is no similarity between this plant and existing oil fired plants currently operating in the kingdom. The majority of people believed following



discussion of the project that the plant may actually boost property prices and that there is a potential for additional commercial activity in the area encouraged by the construction of the plant that will generate a positive socio-economic impact..

9.2.3 Residents opinion

During the consultation process a number of residents of Al Manakher asked about the basis how and why this particular site is selected for this power plant and is it not feasible to have a plant further away from the village. It was explained to the people that location of the plant is at reasonable distance away from the village and site was selected based on availability of roads, available government land, proximity to the natural gas pipeline (just a under 900 m to the west) and 400 KV transmission line (6 km to the west).


9.2.4 Conclusion and recommendation:

It is considered that most of the village residents now have a much better understanding of the project and the environmental and social impact associated with the construction and operation of the plant.

With regard to the expectations of the local community there is a clear hope that if possible staff for the construction and operation of the plant should be drawn from the local community. Where ever practical this will be accommodated by the proponent.

The community also expressed a desire for social benefits from the project such as repair and extension of the mosque, scholarships for outstanding local students from the community and also training courses for their unskilled and illiterate people so that they can qualify for jobs during construction phase of the project. Again where ever possible and practical the proponent will seek to make provision for these desires.

In order to continue the good relationship established with the local community AES have nominated one of their local employees to act as a direct point of contact with the local community. It is hoped that this will afford the local community easy access to AES management to raise their concerns in the event that concerns arise.

9.3 Compliance with Jordanian and World Bank/IFC guidance and policies

As has been demonstrated in the above impact assessment the project fully complies with all relevant Jordanian and World Bank/IFC guidance and policies. For clarity these are summarized in below for Jordanian legislation in Table 9.2 and for the World Bank Table 9.3 .



TABLE 9.2 COMPLIANCE OF AMMAN EAST IPP WITH RELEVANT JORDANIAN

STANDARDS


Environment protection law (No.1, 2003)

Project Complies: The project will not pose an unacceptable impact to the environment and complies with all relevant Jordanian legislation.

Environmental Impact Assessment by-law (No.37, 2005)

Project Complies :An Environmental Impact Assessment has been undertaken for the project

Air emissions from stationary sources standard (No. 1189,1998)

Project Complies: The project will comply with the relevant emissions standards

Ambient Air Quality (No 1140,2005)

Project Complies: The project will comply with all relevant Jordanian ambient air quality requirements

Public Heath law (No. 54, 2002) Project Complies: The Project will not pose any public heath issues

Noise Preventions and Limitations Instructions Paragraph (d) issued in accordance to Act No. (1)/2003 Act No. (1)/2003 and Noise Level Control Regulation for 1997

Project Complies: The Project will broadly comply with the criteria of the Act

Water Authority's Act (No. 62,2001)


Water Authority Law (No. 18,1988)

Underground -water Monitoring By-law (No.85, 2002)


Archaeology Act (No.32, 2004)

Project Complies: No significant archaeological interests were identified at site.

Civil Defence Act (No.90,2003)

Project Complies: The project will not pose a safety hazard to the general public




Dimensions, Total weights and Vehicles' Engine Horse Power By-law issued in accordance with paragraph (a) from article (19) & article (64) from The Traffic Act (47)/2001

Project Complies: The project will comply with the requirements of the law.

Labour law (No.51,2002) Project Complies: The project will operate under the requirements of this law

Ministry of Agriculture Law (No. 44,2002)

Project Complies: The project will not include the removal of large areas of agricultural land from its current use or impact on these during construction or operation.

Waste oil management instruction.

Project Complies: The project will handles all waste oils in accordance with the instruction.

Hazardous substances Law (No.16/1953)

Project Complies: The project will ensure the proper storage and use of any hazardous substances to be used by the plant.

Management of solid waste.

Project Complies: The project will ensure proper and appropriate handling of waste materials during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases.



TABLE 9.3 COMPLIANCE OF AMMAN EAST IPP WITH IFC OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND

STANDARDS

Policy Compliance/Rational

OP 4.01: Environmental Assessment

Project Complies: an environmental assessment is being prepared following the requirements for a Category A project.

OP 4.04 and Annex A Natural Habitats Project Complies: the power plant will not impact significantly on local habitats

OP 4.10: Indigenous Peoples

Project Complies: the power plant is located so as not to require the resettlement of indigenous peoples

OP 4.11: Management of Cultural Property

Project Complies: no historic or culturally significant features were identified on the project site.

OP 4.12 and Annex A: Involuntary Resettlement

Project Complies: the power plant is located on land that is leased from the government. Where appropriate, a Resettlement Policy Framework has been established and a Resettlement Action Plan will be prepared for those people identified as project affected person.

Labour Standards Project Complies: no person will be harmfully or unwilling employed by the project sponsor.

Disclosure of Information Policy

Project Complies: the project sponsor has implemented the necessary Public Consultation to facilitate the transfer of information to project stakeholders.

9.4 Conclusions

The Project has allowed for full and proper public disclosure to Government ministries/agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations and members of the general public in the ESIA process for the proposed Amman East IPP project. In addition the Amman East IPP has been found to fully comply with the relevant Jordanian and World Bank standards and requirements.

PB Power Appendix A


A JORDANIAN TIMES ADVERT (1 page)

PB Power Appendix A Page A.1 of A.1


PB Power Appendix B


B. LIST OF THE PARTICIPANTS AT SCOPING SESSION (3 pages)

PB Power Appendix B Page B.1 of B.1


PB Power Appendix B Page B.2


PB Power Appendix B Page B.3


PB Power Appendix C


C. ISSUES IDENTIFIED AT SCOPING SESSION (4 pages)

PB Power Appendix C Page C.1 of C.1


C. ISSUES IDENTIFIED AT SCOPING SESSION

This appendix details the issues considered to be relevant to the project by the participants at the scoping session was held in Amman at the Holiday Inn on July 4th, 2006. These are summarized in the Below tables.

Public health

Issue Construction Operation Decommissioning

Emissions impacts on public health √ √ √

Noise impacts on public health √ √ √

Solid waste √ √ √

Wastewater √ √ √

Hazardous waste Impacts on public health √ √ √

Buffer Zone from the Boundaries of the Site √

Explosion of Gas pipe lines or gas leakage √ √ √

Disposal, Leakage of hazardous wastes √ √ √

NOx, Ozone Formation √

Electromagnetic waves by hi-Voltage √ √

Gas Connection √ √ √

Effect of thermal emissions on the area √

Future impact on the area √

Future impact on the local people (health risk) √

Impact of the plant on the locals √ √

PB Power Appendix C Page C.2


Water resources


Wastewater disposal and its effect on groundwater √ √

Impact of leachate on ground water √ √

Impact of floods on project √

Quality and quantity of water resources for the plant needs √ √

Impact of wastes on groundwater √ √ √

Water resources on the site √ √ √

Treated water use √

Impact of the water consumption on the availability of water resources √

Water demand √ √ √

Impact of wastewater on the agricultural activities √ √

Kind of treatment to the wastewater and reuse √ √

Biodiversity


Impacts on flora √ √ √

Impact on fauna √ √ √

Impact on habitat √ √ √

Agricultural activities √ √ √

Access Roads impact √ √ √



Socio-economic conditions


Employment √ √ √

New businesses √ √ √

Business prosperity √ √ √

Land value √ √ √

stress on infrastructure √ √

training √ √

Local community support √ √

Land acquisition √ √

Agriculture activity (micro-scale) √ √

Transportation √ √ √

Visual impact √ √

Depending on one gas provider √

Local community satisfaction √ √

Economic future of the area and negative impact on the plant √

Impact on land use √ √ √



Occupational health and safety


Medical care √ √ √

Dust √ √

Noise √ √ √

Hazardous fumes √ √ √

Accidents √ √ √

Waste water √ √ √

Solid waste √ √ √

Industrial solid waste √

Emergency plan √ √ √

Fire hazardous √ √ √

Vibration √

Archaeology


Impact on seen remains √

Impact on unseen remains √

PB Power Appendix D


D. STACK HEIGHT CALCULATIONS (4 pages)

PB Power Appendix D Page D.1 of D.1


PB Power Appendix D Page D.2


PB Power Appendix E


E. GLOSSARY OF ACOUSTICS TERMINOLOGY (3 pages)

PB Power Appendix E Page E.1 of E.1


E. GLOSSARY OF ACOUSTICS TERMINOLOGY

Decibel (dB) The decibel scale is used in relation to sound because it is a logarithmic rather than a linear scale. The decibel scale compares the level of a sound relative to another. The human ear can detect a wide range of sound pressures, typically between 2x10-5 and 200 Pa, so the logarithmic scale is used to quantify these levels using a more manageable range of values.

Sound Pressure Level (SPL)

The Sound Pressure Level has units of decibels, and compares the level of a sound to the smallest sound pressure generally perceptible by the human ear, or the reference pressure. It is defined as follows:

SPL (dB) = 20 Log10(P/Pref) where P = Sound Pressure (in Pa)

Pref = Reference Pressure 2x10-5 Pa

An SPL of 0 dB suggests the Sound Pressure is equal to the reference pressure. This is known as the threshold of hearing.

An SPL of 140 dB represents the threshold of pain.

Loudness The loudness of a sound is subjective, and differs from person to person. The human ear perceives loudness in a logarithmic fashion, hence the suitability of the decibel scale. Generally, a perceived doubling or halving of loudness will correspond to an increase or decrease in SPL of 10 dB. Note that a doubling of sound energy corresponds to an increase in SPL of only 3 dB.

Sound Power Level (SWL)

The Sound Power Level defines the rate at which sound energy is emitted by a source, and is also expressed in dB. It is defined as follows:

SWL ( dB) = 10 Log10(W/Wref) where W = Sound Power (in Watts)

Wref = Reference Power 1 picoWatt

A-Weighting The human ear can detect a wide range of frequencies, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but it is more sensitive to some frequencies than others. Generally, the ear is most sensitive to frequencies in the range 1 to 4 kHz. The A-weighting is a filter that can be applied to measured results at varying frequencies, to mimic the frequency response of the human ear, and therefore better represent the likely perceived loudness of the sound. SPL readings with the A-weighting applied are represented in dB(A).

PB Power Appendix E Page E.2


Equivalent Continuous Level (Leq,T)

The Equivalent Continuous Level represents a theoretical continuous sound, over a stated time period, T, which contains the same amount of energy as a number of sound events occurring within that time, or a source that fluctuates in level.

For example, a noise source with an SPL of 80 dB(A) operating for two hours during an eight-hour working day, has an equivalent A-weighted continuous level over eight hours of 74 dB, or LAeq,8hrs = 74 dB.

The time period over which the Leq is calculated should always be stated.

Maximum Sound Level (Lmax)

The maximum sound level, Lmax (or LAmax if A-weighted) is the highest SPL that occurs during a given event or time period.

Minimum Sound Level (Lmin)

Similarly, the minimum sound level, Lmin (or LAmin if A-weighted) is the lowest SPL that occurs during a given event or time period.

L90 or LA90 and other percentile measures

This represents the SPL which is exceeded 90% of the time, expressed in dB or dB(A). LA90 is used to quantify background noise levels (see below). Other percentiles exist and are used for various types of noise assessment. These include L01, L10, L50, L99.

Noise A noise can be described as an unwanted sound. Noise can cause nuisance.

Ambient Noise The totally encompassing sound in a given situation, at a given time, including noises from any source in any direction.

Specific Noise A component of the ambient noise, associated with the specific source under investigation.

Initial Noise Ambient prevailing noise in an area before any changes to the existing noise climate

Residual Noise This is the ambient noise minus the specific noise, i.e. the remaining noise when the specific noise source is removed.

Background Noise This is defined as the LA90 of the residual noise.

Noise Sensitive Receptors (NSR's)

Any identified receptor likely to be affected by noise. These are generally human receptors, which may include residential dwellings, work places, schools, hospitals, and recreational spaces.

Octave In reference to the frequency of a sound, an octave describes the difference between a given frequency and that which is double that frequency, e.g. 125 Hz to 500 Hz, or 4 kHz to 8 kHz.

PB Power Appendix E Page E.3


Octave/Third Octave Bands

A sound made up of more than one frequency can be described using a frequency spectrum, which shows the relative magnitude of the different frequencies within it. The possible range of frequencies is continuous, but can be split up into discrete bands, often an octave or third-octave in width. Each octave band is referred to by its centre frequency, generally 63 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz etc.

Point Source A theoretical source of sound, with zero size and mass, often used as an approximation to model small sources. Sound from a point source radiates spherically in all directions.

Line Source A theoretical source of sound, with length only, often used to model long, thin sound sources, such as roads.

Area source A real or theoretical source that radiates as a plane. Sound from an area source radiates plane waves rather than spherical waves, particularly if the area source is large relative to the wavelength of the sound produced.

PB Power Appendix F


F. NOISE MONITORING FORM (2 pages)

PB Power Appendix F Page F.1 of F.1


F. NOISE MONITORING FORM

PB Power Appendix F Page F.2


PB Power Appendix G


G. CALIBRATION CERTIFICATES (2 pages)

PB Power Appendix G Page G.1 of G.1


G. CALIBRATION CERTIFICATES

PB Power Appendix H


H. CALCULATION AND OUTPUT OF NOISE MODEL (5 pages)

PB Power Appendix H Page H.1 of H.1


PB Power Appendix H Page H.2


PB Power Appendix I


I. PHOTOS FROM PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS (2 pages)

PB Power Appendix I Page I.1 of I.1


PLATE 1

PLATE 2

PB Power Appendix I Page I.2


PLATE 3

PB Power Appendix J


J INFORMATION LEAFLETS AND QUESTIONNAIRES (6 pages)

PB Power Appendix J J.1 of J.1


IPP) Amman East IPP Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant(

-:مقدمة

و . لتوليد الطاقة الكهربائية) آمصدر رخيص و نظيف للطاقة(حيث سوف يستخدم الغاز المصري . المشروع المقترح عبارة محطة توليد آهربائيةوتنبع أهمية هذا المشروع من الحاجة المتزايدة للكهرباء داخل األردن نظرا , MW380 الطاقة اإلنتاجية اإلسمية اليومية لهذه المحطة حوالي

فرصة عمل خالل 50صة عمل خالل فترة إعمار المشروع فر700 -600آما سوف تتوفر . الزدياد السكان و الحرآة العمرانية و الصناعية . آم شرق مدينة عمان4المصنع سوف يقام في منطقة قريبة من قرية المناخر حوالي . تشغيل المشروع

ي من قسمين حيث أن المحطة سوف تتكون بشكل أساس, في هذه المحطة سوف يتم تولد الطاقة الكهربائية بواسطة التوربينات الغازية و البخارية -:اساسين

, حيث سوف يحرق الغاز في غرفة إحتراق التربينات الغازية, سوف يستخدم الغاز آمصدر لطاقة لتوليد الكهرباء-:القسم األول •وغازات اإلحتراق سوف تعمل على تدوير فراشات التربينات و التي بدورها سوف تعمل على توليد الكهرباء من خالل تدوير العامود

. بين التربينات و مولدات الكهرباءالواصل

سوف توظف هذه الطاقة , )الحرارة( غازات اإلحتراق الناتجة عن التربينات الغازية تحتوي على آمية آبيرة من الطاقة -:القسم الثاني •و . توليد الكهرباءو هذا البخار سوف يستخدم في التربينات البخارية ل, لتوليد بخار الماء المحمص و ذلك من خالل مولدات البخار

تتم من خالل أبراج تبريد هوائية ) في المكثفات(و عملية التبريد , سوف يتم نكثييف البخار بعد التربينات البخارية بواسطة مكثفات ). بهدف توفير المياه(

-):بواسطة التوربينات البخارية(بالمقارنة مع المحطات التقليدية ) توليد الكهرباء باستخدام التوربينات الغازية و البخارية(مميزات المحطة

.التحتاج إلى مساحات آبيرة بالمقارنة مع المحطات التقليدية .1

. و هذا يؤدي إلى خفض إستهالك المياة, ردات الهوائيةحيث أن عملية التبريد تتم بواسطة المب, ال تحتاج إلى مياة للتبريد .2

. اإلهتزازات و الضجيج بها منخفضة بالمقارنة مع المحطات التقليدية .3

.إستهالآها لطاقة أقل من المحطات التقليدية .4

-:المحطات التقليدية لألسباب التاليةمستوى الملوثات في غازات اإلحتراق الخارجة من المداخن أقل من .5

.آمصدر رخيص و نظيف لتوليد الطاقة الكهربائية) منزوع الكبريت(يتم إستخدم الغاز المصري سوف •

NOx)( تعمل على تخفيض الغازات النتروجنية (dry low NOx technique (DLN)) حارقاتسوف يتم إستخدم • .الناتجة خالل عملية اإلحتراق

لتأآد من , ق الخارجة من آل المداخن الموجودة في المحطةغازات اإلحترال المستمر و الدائمتحليلال ومراقبةال • . مطابقتها للقوانين البيئية

-:إيجابيات المشروع

-:من خالل التالي, أثار المشروع سوف تنعكس بصورة إيجابية على سكان المناطق المجاورة و باألخص سكان قرية المناخر

. فرصة عمل خالل تشغيل المشروع50لمشروع فرصة عمل خالل فترة إعمار ا700 - 600سوف يتوفر •

PB Power Appendix J Page J.2


.و التي سوف تؤمن من المناطق المجاورة, و قطع الغيار للشاحنات و السيارات,التموينية,سوف يزداد الطلب على المواد اإلنشائية •

و سهولة إصال , قمثل تطوير شبكة الطر, نظرا لوجود المحطة في قرية المناخر هذا سوف يؤدي إلى تطور البنية التحتية للقرية • . خطوط المياه والكهرباء و الهاتف

بما ان المحطة سوف تستخدم الغاز المصري آمصدر رخيص للطاقة فهذا سيكون له اثر ايجابي في تخفيض تكلفة الكهرباء على • .المواطنين

راعة المساحات الفارغة في سوف تستخدم في ز) في اليوم 3 م240 -200حوال (المياه الملوثه المعالجه الناتجه عن المحطه • .المحطه مما سيكون له اثر ايجابي في تحسين المنظر الجمالي للمنطقه



East Amman IPP Combined cycle Gas turbine (CCGT) power plant

Introduction:

The proposed project power plant will use the Egyptian natural gas as clean source of energy for the production of the electricity. The nominal daily production capacity is 370 MW. The importance of this project comes from the increased demand on electricity due to the increase of the population rate, construction and industrial development. This project will provide around 600-700 job opportunities during the construction phase and 50 job opportunities during the operational phase, it will be located in the Al-Manakher village east of Amman city. The plant will produce electricity using gas and steam turbines; according to this the plant will consist of two sections:

• The first section use the gas as source of energy for the electricity production where the combustion gases resulted from the burning of the gas in the combustion chamber rotate the turbine fans which will generate electricity through rotating the connecting column between the turbines and the electricity generator.

• The second section the combustion gases resulted from the gas turbine contain a large amount of energy (heat) these energy will be used to generate steam through steam generator to generate electricity. The steam will be condensed through condensers and will be cooled via air cooling tower, thus reducing the water consumption.

The benefits of using gas and steam generator to produce electricity in comparison with the use of traditional methods

1. Doesn’t need a large space.

2. There is no need for cooling water; the cooling through air cooling tower will reduce in the water consumption.

3. Low vibration and noise.

4. Low usage of energy.

5. low level of pollution from the combustion gases from the stacks for the following reasons:

• Egyptian gas will be used (low sulphur) as clean source of energy.

• Dry low NOx burners will be used to reduce the Nitrogen oxide during the burning process.

• Continuous analysis and monitoring of combustion gases emitted from the stacks in the plant to ensure meeting with the standards.



The project will affect the area positively especially the people of Al-Manakher village through:

• The project will provide 600-700 job opportunities during the construction phase and 50 job opportunities during the operational phase.

• Increase the demand on the construction material, food, spare parts for the trucks and cars which will be provided from the neighbouring areas.

• Due to the presence of the plant in the Al-Manakher village the infrastructure will be developed (improvement of roads, waterlines, electricity and telephone networks…).

• The usage of the Egyptian gas as clean and cheap source of this will have the positive effect in the electricity prices.

• The treated wastewater resulted from the plant (around 200-240 m3) will be used to plant the empty areas which will improve the landscape of the area.



QUESTIONNAIRE (ARABIC)

الستبيانا

:االسم

:طبيعة العمل

: المستوى التعليميعدد افراد االسرة و

هل تتوقع االستفادة انت او عائلتك من فرص العمل المتاحة خالل فترة االعمار والتشغيل للمحطه

....),النقل , زيادة الطلب على المواد التموينيه المسكن(هل تتوقع ان تستفيد بشكل مباشر او غير مباشر من المشروع

صدر رخيص للطاقه هل تتوقع انخفاض تكاليف الكهرباء على المواطن االردني و نتيجة الستخدام المحطه للغاز المصري آم :ما االثار االيجابية على القطاعات االخرى

:هل تتوقع ان بناء المحطه بالقرب من قرية المناخر سيزيد من سعر االراضي في المنطقة

في المنطقةهل تتوقع ان بناء المحطه بالقرب من قرية المناخر سيحسن شبكة الطرق

:هل تتوقع ان بناء المحطه بالقرب من قرية المناخر سيحسن شبكة المياه و الكهرباء و الهاتف في المنطقة

):و هي ذات مواصفات جيدة(برايك مالذي ممكن عمله بالمياه المعالجة الناتجة عن المحطة

ظر الجمالي للمنطقةاذا تم زراعة المساحات الخالية في المحطة هل تتوقع ان تحسن المن

مما سيكون له (هل تتوقع ان أقامة المشروع سوف يعمل على تطوير المنطقة و جذب رؤوس االموال و المشاريع للمنطقه ):ائر ايجابي في زيادة فرص العمل لسكان المنطقه و المناطق المجاورة

هل تتوقع ان المشروع سوف يلحق اية اضرار بالسكان و المنطقة المحيطه

):ان وجدت(ماهي اقتراحاتك لتفادي هذه االضرار



QUESTIONNAIRE ENGLISH

Name:

Job and Education

No. of Children’s:

Would you think that you or any one in your family will profit by working in the plant?

Would you benefiting (directly or indirectly) from this project?

Due to the use of Egyptian gas would you think that this will effect the electricity prices and what is the affect on the other sectors?

Would you think that the construction of such project will increase the land prices?

Would you think that the construction of such project will improve the roads network?

Would you think that the construction of such project will improve the water, electricity and telephone networks?

In your opinion what will be done with the treated wastewater (which is water with good quality)?

If they plant the empty areas in the plant would you think that this will improve the landscape?



What is your suggestion to reduce the adverse effect (if there is any)

PB Power Appendix K


K. SUMMARY OF WATER PIPELINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS (8 pages)

PB Power Appendix K K.1 of K.1


WATER PIPELINE ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) will supply drinking quality water and raw water for all the Amman East plants needs through an new water pipeline. The pipeline will be owned and operated by WAJ and the construction of this is neither the responsibility or subject to the influence of the AES Oasis Limited and Mitsui & Co.

The pipeline will be directly connected in to the national water network and will not include the removal of local ground water etc.





The pipeline will run adjacent to the existing roads. The road corridors are owned by the Government removing the need for compensation or compulsory purchase for local peoples of land. Routing the pipeline along the road is therefore the preferred option. The route of the pipeline is shown in Figure K 1.

WAJ are responsible for all works associated with the installation of the pipeline and will be responsible for its operation, and maintenance over the course of the lifetime of the Amman East CCGT.



FIGURE K1; WATER PIPELINE ROUTE PART 1

FIGURE K1; WATER PIPELINE ROUTE PART 2

PB Power Appendix K Page K.4


Ground conditions

The water pipeline will travel some 18 km to site and the intervening land is not considered to represent any significant difficulties with regard to the existing ground conditions.

The intervening land is similar to that of the Amman East site and does not appear to represent an important habitat for local flora or fauna which has already been disturbed by the creation of the roads along side which the pipeline will run.

As part of their studies WAJ will need to assess the prevailing ground conditions and ground stability of the route corridor to allow for appropriate engineering of the pipeline. Aspects such as geology, hydrogeology, ground conditions, mining subsidence, land slip, solution caverns, the presence of landfill sites, peat deposits and other forms of ground instability will all have to be considered in this assessment.

It is not considered that the ground conditions in the project area are likely to mean the water pipeline will cause an unacceptable impact to ground conditions (including hydrology and hydrogeology etc) in the area which it ultimately passes through.

Construction of the water pipeline

A route for the proposed water pipeline is shown in Figure K1. The proposed route runs along the side of the road where ever possible so as to minimize any potential disruption to local agricultural land holdings etc.


Pipeline construction of this size usually requires a temporary working width of 15 m, this allows for all construction activities to take place in this area. Additional land for special crossings, temporary working areas, vehicle and material storage areas, site establishment locations, temporary construction and permanent access requirements will be identified in the pipeline easement negotiations. The working width usually comprises a fenced off strip of land along the route. The pipeline is constructed in sections subject to the terrain. In certain locations the working strip may restrict access to adjoining land.


Construction Impacts

Air quality

The impacts on the atmosphere during construction would be limited to some generation of airborne dust during earth moving activities and exhaust fumes from vehicles and machinery. As construction



of the pipeline is performed in various sections over about 18 km, no one section would be subject to prolonged air quality impacts.

Impacts to air quality could be minimized by using dust suppression measures where necessary to minimize dust creation in the vicinity of the pipeline.

Noise

Noise levels during construction would be limited to that generated by earth moving activities and from vehicles and machinery and would be typical of construction equipment. All potentially noisy machinery would have to operate within any relevant Jordanian regulations. The lack of residential receptors in the area should help to minimize the impact of the construction activities.

Geology and water quality

There will be some disturbance of soil in the immediate area around the pipeline due to excavation and due to compaction. It is however not expected that the creation of a trench 1.5 metres deep will have no impact on hydrology.

The area through which the pipeline will pass is characterized by minor faults that intersect with the water pipeline, which are exposed on the ground surface while sand or alluvial deposits cover other faults.

It is considered that WAJ should take appropriate protection measures for the pipeline during its design and construction at intersection locations with faults of potential seismic activity.

To reduce the impacts of flooding on the pipeline it should be protected against flash floods taking in to consideration soil type and ground stability and placed in trenches as necessary.


Ecology


Only minor impacts are anticipated impacts due to this small segment of pipeline and due to the fact that the route will be in the road corridors which are already disrupted with no known biodiversity in them.

Visual Impact







Socio-economics


The pipeline project will have a minimal impact on socio-economics in the area due to its fairly short length and likely short construction period. There may be some impact associated with disruption to traffic flows along the main road but this would be short in duration.



There will be no need for the acquisition of any land. The water pipeline will be constructed in the corridor of the roads in the project area. The road corridors are owned by government, however, acknowledging the acquisition procedure and in case of confiscating any land the Government of Jordan will pay fair compensation for the private land owners according to Land Acquisition Law No. 12/1987. The fair compensation will be based on the market value of the land and on the properties or plants existing on it.

Archaeology

The consultant archaeologist who undertook the archaeological assessment for the power plant has surveyed the pipeline routes and did not find any seen archaeological sites or remains in the pipeline route. The only concern would be the chance find archaeological site or remains. In that case the department of archaeology or the nearest police station should be notified and the same mitigation measures outlined in the EIA for the power station employed as necessary.

Traffic

The impact of the pipeline construction to local traffic and infrastructure will be minimal. To mitigate the projects minimal impacts it is recommended that the contactor:







Public health and occupational heath and safety

The pipeline does not pass through any heavily populated areas and therefore the risk or accidents involving members of the general public is low. To ensure public safety delivery route for construction vehicles should be defined by the General Public Security Directorate before hand to avoid passing in populated areas.

For workers health, noise and dust would be key issues and could be mitigated by:

• All workers being provided with personal protection equipment during pipeline construction.

• Trucks movement being limited to paved roads and if it is necessary to use dirt roads, water should be sprayed to minimize dust during that period.

• Warring and low speed signs should be post few hundred meters before the work area during work next to the roads to warn drivers of existing work activities and to allow them to slow down.

• Heavy machinery that will be used in digging the trenches should be located in the outer side of the roads during construction/digging to minimize the potential for causing accident.

Summary of construction impacts


Operation of the water pipeline

The pipeline will be protected from external corrosion by a coating applied to the pipe and supplemented where necessary by cathodic protection. Inspection of the pipeline would not be necessary except in the event of a leak. The pipeline will be tested to ensure that it was sufficient to allow for the internal pressure prior to use.

It is considered that if properly installed the pipeline could have an operational lifetime of up to 40 years and in any case would likely outlive the proposed power station.



Summary of operational impacts

It is not anticipated that there will be any impacts on air quality, noise, traffic and infrastructure, visual amenity, hydrology, flora and fauna, socio economics or cultural heritage during the operation of the gas pipeline. The pipeline should remain undisturbed for the entirety of its operational lifetime.

Conclusion

The construction and operation of the proposed water pipeline will have an insignificant environmental impact to the project area.

PB Power Appendix L


L. SUMMARY OF GAS PIPELINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS (6 pages)

PB Power Appendix L L.1 of L.1


GAS PIPELINE ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

The Amman East CCGT plant will, during normal operation fire on natural gas that will be supplied via a dedicated gas pipeline that will tee in to ‘Arab Gas Transmission Pipeline’, which provides natural gas from Egypt to Jordan. The gas pipeline will be installed owned and operated by Fajer Gas Company (FGC) who will be responsible for installation of the pipeline from the main gas pipeline to the site boundary approximately 800 m to the west. FGC will sell gas to NEPCO who will be the supplier of Natural Gas to the proposed CCGT.

The pipeline to which the project connects is located some 800 m from the project site but will due to wayleaves have a length of some 1.7km. There are two route alternatives to install the pipeline. The first route is through the agriculture lands with the second being for the line to run alongside the existing road to the north of the site. The road corridors are owned by the Government removing the need for compensation or compulsory purchase for local peoples of land. Routing the pipeline along the road is therefore the preferred option. The route of the pipeline is shown in Figure L1.





The pipeline will likely be made from carbon steel pipe and will be buried to a depth such that the top of the pipeline is at least 1 m below ground level.

Ground conditions

The gas pipeline will travel a relatively short distance to site and the intervening land is not considered to represent any significant difficulties with regard to the existing ground conditions.



FIGURE L1; GAS PIPELINE ROUTE

PB Power Appendix L Page L.3


Construction of the gas pipeline

A route for the proposed pipeline in shown in Figure L.1. The proposed route runs along the side of the road so as to minimize any potential disruption to local agricultural land holdings.




Construction Impacts

Air quality

The impacts on the atmosphere during construction would be limited to some generation of airborne dust during earth moving activities and exhaust fumes from vehicles and machinery. As construction of the pipeline is performed in various sections over about 1700 m, no one section would be subject to prolonged air quality impacts.

Impacts to air quality could be minimized by using dust suppression measures where necessary to minimize dust creation in the vicinity of the pipeline.

Noise

Noise levels during construction would be limited to that generated by earth moving activities and from vehicles and machinery and would be typical of construction equipment. All potentially noisy machinery would have to operate within any relevant Jordanian regulations. The lack of residential receptors in the area should help to minimize the impact of the construction activities.

Geology and water quality

There will be some disturbance of soil in the immediate area around the pipeline due to excavation and due to compaction. It is however not expected that the creation of a trench 1.5 metres deep will have no impact on hydrology.



The area through which the pipeline will pass is characterized by minor faults that intersect with the gas pipeline, which are exposed on the ground surface while sand or alluvial deposits cover other faults.

It is considered that the company should take appropriate protection measures for the pipeline during its design and construction at intersection locations with faults of potential seismic activity.

To reduce the impacts of flooding on the pipeline it should be protected against flash floods taking in to consideration soil type and ground stability.


Ecology


Only minor impacts are anticipated impacts due to this small segment of pipeline and due to the fact that the route will be in the road corridors which are already disrupted with no known biodiversity in them.

Visual Impact





Socio-economics


The pipeline project will have a minimal impact on socio-economics in the area due to its short length and likely short construction period. There may be some impact associated with disruption to traffic flows along the main road but this would be short in duration.





There will be no need for the acquisition of any land. The gas pipeline will be constructed in the corridor of the roads in the project area. The road corridors are owned by government, however, acknowledging the acquisition procedure and in case of confiscating any land the Government of Jordan will pay fair compensation for the private land owners according to Land Acquisition Law No. 12/1987. The fair compensation will be based on the market value of the land and on the properties or plants existing on it.

Archaeology

The consultant archaeologist who undertook the archaeological assessment for the power plant has surveyed the pipeline routes and did not find any seen archaeological sites or remains in the pipeline route. The only concern would be the chance find archaeological site or remains. In that case the department of archaeology or the nearest police station should be notified and the same mitigation measures outlined in the EIA for the power station employed as necessary.

Traffic

The impact of the pipeline construction to local traffic and infrastructure will be minimal. To mitigate the projects minimal impacts it is recommended that the contactor:





Public health and occupational heath and safety

The pipeline does not pass through any populated areas and therefore the risk or accidents involving members of the general public is low. To ensure public safety delivery route for construction vehicles should be defined by the General Public Security Directorate before hand to avoid passing in populated areas.

For workers health, noise and dust would be key issues and could be mitigated by:



• All workers being provided with personal protection equipment during pipeline construction.

• Trucks movement being limited to paved roads and if it is necessary to use dirt roads, water should be sprayed to minimize dust during that period.

Summary of construction impacts


Operation of the gas pipeline

The pipeline will be protected from external corrosion by a coating applied to the pipe and supplemented where necessary by cathodic protection. Inspection of the pipeline will be a mixture of visual and machinery based inspection. The pipeline will be tested to 150 per cent of its design pressure prior to use.

In the unlikely event of a leak on the pipeline, automatic isolating valves at each end of the pipeline will close.

It is considered that if properly installed the pipeline could have an operational lifetime of up to 40 years and in any case would likely outlive the proposed power station.

Summary of operational impacts

It is not anticipated that there will be any impacts on air quality, noise, traffic and infrastructure, visual amenity, hydrology, flora and fauna, socio economics or cultural heritage during the operation of the gas pipeline. The pipeline should remain undisturbed for the entirety of its operational lifetime.

Conclusion

The construction and operation of the proposed gas pipeline will have an insignificant environmental impact to the project area.

PB Power Appendix M


M. NEPCO TRANSMISSION LINE ESIA (105 PAGES)

PB Power Appendix M Page M.1 of M.1


aes oasis limited and mitsui & co - world bankdocuments.worldbank.org/curated/en/...7.1.9...

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