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Environmental Impact Assessment of Dairut Power Plant Project, El-Beheira

Governorate, Egypt

Chapter · January 2018

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-70548-4_555

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 Environmental Impact Assessment of Dairut
Power Plant Project, El-Beheira Governorate,
Egypt
Mohamed Said Abbas
Keywords
Environmental impact assessment
management plan
1 Introduction
The primary function of an environmental impact assess-
ment study is to predict and quantify potential impacts,
assess and evaluate the magnitude and their importance to
develop an environmental management plan to mitigate the
impacts. The aim of the present study was to assess the
existing environmental quality, as well as to identify envi-
ronmentally significant factors of Dairut Power Plant Project
to assist the decision maker to recognize the positive and
negative impacts of the project.
2 Materials and Methods
Project description: Dairut power plant project is a Power
plant that would be built on 70 acres of land in Dairut, and
would include three units, each operating on 750 MW on
combined-cycle technology that will be able to produce
one-third of its own energy without relying on any additional
fuel.
Study area: the proposed project site is to be established
in Dairut, El-Beheira governorate, Egypt during period from
2015 to 2016.
The study was divided into main parts:
Part One: Surrounding Environment & Baseline Data:
this part described the existing environmental settings in the
study area.
M. S. Abbas (&)
Natural Resources Department, Institute of African Research and
Studies, Cairo University, Cairo, 12613, Egypt
e-mail: msaelsarawy@yahoo.com
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
A. Kallel et al. (eds.), Recent Advances in Environmental Science from the Euro-Mediterranean and Surrounding Regions,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70548-4_555



Dairut power plant Baseline data and environmental
Part Two: Assessment of potential environmental
impacts and considerations for mitigation during: two phases
of the project were considered: the construction phase & the
operation phase (GASCO 2006).
3 Results and Discussion
Part One: Surrounding Environment & Baseline Data.
Climate: An extremely arid climate prevails in the Nile
Valley: high temperature, low relative humidity, high
evaporation and negligible rainfall.
Soil: El-Beheira is concentrated along the River Nile,
where the quality of soil is good, especially for agricultural
activities (FAO 2005). According of Ibrahim (2001) soil
classification in El-Beheira governorate has been classified
into three soil orders, namely Entisols, Vertisols and Aridisols.
Flora and Fauna
Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation: the cultivated crops
are the typical cash and food crops grown in the Egyptian
agriculture areas. The major cropping seasons is the winter
and the summer (seasons. Another marginal season is the
Nili season, the cropping pattern is traditional, with major
winter crops including wheat, Beans, Clover (Berseem) and
vegetables, and summer crops including maize, cotton and
rice are the common crops grown at different seasons in the
close agriculture land to the studied site.
Hydrophytes: Zahran (2009) stated that the aquatic
vegetation of the Nile in Egypt is classified under 36 com-
munities dominated by 8 submerged, 9 floating and 19
emergent species.
1923
1924 M. S. Abbas

Fauna: the mammals known to exist in this part of the
desert are Cape Hare (Lepus capensis), Gerbillus gerbillus,
Mus musculus, Jaculus jaculus, Ruppel’s Fox (Vulpes ruep-
pelli). Camels, sheep, donkeys and goats are frequent mam-
mals observed in the region. Reptiles are spread over the area,
five genera of lizards and three different genera of snakes were
reported, and they include the small spotted lizard, the gecko
lizard and the shockari sand snake. Birds are also seen within
the area. They include the sand partridge, the Egyptian
vulture, the Egyptian eagle, the Raven, etc. In EL-Beheira
governorate, three land snail species including T. pisana,
H. vestalis and M. obstructa were recorded (Eshra 2013).
Part Two: Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
during project two phases (construction and operation).
Summarize the potential impacts, environment management
plan and impacts evaluation during construction and opera-
tion phases.

Environmental Potential impacts Controls through EMP & design Impact evaluation
components
Construction phase
Air quality Dust emissions Suitable control measures will be adopted as Not significant
per a dust control plan
Noise/vibration Operation of construction Use of well-maintained equipment fitted with Not significant
equipment silencers
Surface and Water contamination Good management of construction, chemicals No off site impact
ground water and machine maintenance
quality
Soils and Soil contamination Construction debris will be collected and Impact will be local
geology suitably used on site as per construction waste
management plan
Development of effective site drainage systems
Solid and Earthwork and worker activities • Left over after the construction activities No negative impact
hazardous waste Construction activities should be in used in other projects instead of
management disposing them off
• All waste should be disposed of at designated
dumpsites or landfills
• Prior agreement of standards for storage,
management and disposal with relevant
authorities
Flora, Fauna and Displacement of Flora and Fauna • Apply a special program for the re‐settlement Good site management
aquatic on site of the wildlife and re‐establishment of practices
environment Habitat disturbance additional habitat
• Specific mitigation measures include
restricting personnel and vehicles to within
construction site boundaries
Traffic pattern Traffic accidents • Heavy Vehicular movement will be restricted Implementation of good site
to day time only and adequate parking management practices
• Abide by local laws concerning maximum
weight and speeds of vehicles
• Provide transportation for workers to and
from the construction site
• Scheduling of traffic to avoid peak hours on
local roads
Natural disaster Flash flooding Site Development • Drainage system designed to direct flood Good engineering design will
risk during activities construction water from main plant areas into the sea incorporate on the site
• Protection measures from severe flash
flooding
Land use, Land development construction • The land use of the area is power plant Permanent positive impact
landscape and activities • Interconnected lawns and with sustainable
visual amenity infrastructure plan will enhance the visual
appeal of the area
(continued)
Environmental Impact Assessment of Dairut Power Plant … 1925

Environmental Potential impacts Controls through EMP & design Impact evaluation
components
Occupational Work accidents dust, noise, air • Warning signs of construction work going on No negative impact with
health and safety pollution should be displayed establishment health and safety
• Provide fully equipped First Aid Kits committee for the project team
• Completion and implementation of Fire
Safety Plan prior to commissioning any part
of the plant
• Medical checkup for all workers prior to and
after the employment
Socio-economic Overall positive impacts Included increased job opportunity No negative impact
effects
Operation phase
Air quality Emissions of SPM, SO2, NOx and • The project is designed to ensure that leading Emissions monitoring plan
CO from the power plant practice and innovation are shared across
operations in order to deliver energy and
emission savings
• Cultivating green barrier around the power
plant area to absorb gases noise and purify
the air
Noise/vibration Noise from power plant • Implement noise management practices Not significant impact
operations • Restrict operation hours for noise generating
activities
• Monitor operation noise impacts steam
turbine generators; air compressors, pumps
and emergency diesel engines are enclosed in
buildings
Surface and – Contamination of water • Provide adequate design to prevent Not significant as increase is
ground water resources Operation activities contamination of groundwater and surface minimal
quality – Intake water from River water
– Re-suspension of bottom • Employ best practicable measures to manage
sediments surface water erosion
– Leaks, spills and discharges of • Develop design criteria and associated
oil, grease and effluents management to ensure appropriate disposal
of sewage and other effluent
• The designs of the intake and cooling water
structures measured to reduce impacts
• Establish water quality standards for all
wastewater discharges
• All discharges will comply with local
Egyptian guidelines
Soils and Increased erosion diverse • Incorporate requirements for erosion control No negative impact
geology activities within and around the measures and storm water drainage during
power plant the operation phase
• Develop procedures to address the
management and handling of any waste
materials
• Create awareness among the workers on
proper handling and use of tools and
machinery
Solid and Accidental spills, disposal of • Develop waste management strategies and No significant Impact
hazardous waste particulates, wastes and domestic create awareness on the solid waste Management time for
management liquid waste during the operation intergraded management programs implementation of site
phase • Non-hazardous solid waste will be collected management practices
• Develop hazardous materials management
and spill response procedures
• Best practice measures will be employed in
the management of Natural gas, hydrocarbon
and hazardous materials
(continued)
1926 M. S. Abbas

Environmental Potential impacts Controls through EMP & design Impact evaluation
components
Flora, Fauna and Reduced species and ecosystem • Evaluate the results of flora, fauna and marine Any important flora, Fauna and
aquatic diversity surveys and where practicable marine species (if any) in the
environment Diverse activities within and • Prepare and implement a significant species area will be identified and
around the power plant management plan to monitor and manage marked
– Intake and water structures potential impacts
• Suitable green belt will be using local flora,
which will enhance the ecology
• Prepare and implement non endemic marine
species management plan
• The designs of the intake and cooling water
structures have already incorporated
measures to reduce impacts on aquatic
environment
Traffic pattern Increase of vehicular traffic • Vehicular movement will be regulated inside No negative Impact and traffic
the site management measures
• Strict enforcement of speed limits
• Establish accident reporting guidelines
• Use of well‐serviced and maintained vehicles
• Use of traffic reduction measures
Land use and Changing of landscape • Use visual methods to physically demonstrate Positive impact
landscape visual impacts
Occupational • Standard international practice on OHS issues Emergency plans
Health and shall be employed on site
Safety
Socio-economic Employment opportunities • Beneficial Impact Positive impact
effects

4 Conclusion • The results of monitoring and environmental incidents

It can concluded that a full Environmental Auditing will shall be reported to relevant authorities, analyzed pro-
be performed each three years after the full operation of fessionally by competent personnel and corrective mea-
the Power plant. sures shall be taken.

• Field surveys show that no significant habitats or species

were found in the surveyed area. There are no protected
areas in the vicinity of the project area. No rare or
threatened species were found or are recorded in this area.
• The agricultural activities will be monitored for the status
of the crops. If a substantial drop in the crops of this area
is observed and proven to be related to Dairut Power
Plant operation, mitigation measures and adequate com-
pensation for the farmers will be borne by Dairut Power
Plant owners.
• The benthic, Fauna, Flora and hydrophytes communities
at the four different locations, namely; the two banks of
Rosetta branch and El Mahmoudia Canal shall be mon-
itored once a year.
• The operational management plans will include the
requirement for periodic monitoring and evaluation of
water quality and the status of the marine communities so
as to determine whether the development is having any
significant impact on the surrounding marine environment.
References
Egyptian Natural Gas Co. (GASCO) Environmental Impact Assess-
ment of Abu Qurqas—Asuit Onshore Gas Pipeline report; 2006.
Eshra EH. Survey and distribution of terrestrial snails in fruit orchards
and ornamental plants at Alexandria and EL-Beheira Governorates,
Egypt. Alexandria Sci Exch J. 2013;34(2):242–8.
FAO. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Fertilizer use by crop in Egypt. Rome. http://www.iucnredlist.org/;
2005.
Ibrahim MD. Pedological studies on some soils in Beheira governorate
M.Sc. Thesis. Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University; 2001.
National Biodiversity Unit (NBU). Habitat Diversity: Egypt. Publica-
tion of National Biodiversity Unit.No. 1. Egyptian Environmental
Affairs Agency. (EEAA-NBU) (UNEP); 1993.
Täckholm V. Students’ flora of Egypt. 2nd edn. Cairo: Cairo University
Press. 1974; 888 p.
Zahran MA. Hydrophytes of the Nile in Egypt. In: Dumont HJ (ed) The
Nile: origin, environments, limnology and human use. Berlin:
Springer; 2009.

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