EIA Environmental Impact Assesment

Nova-Eco carried out a full-scale EIA following the strict environmental guidelines of EBRD and the Ukrainian State Construction Standard DBN A.2.2.-1-95 amended 2003 (Title: "Structure and Contents of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIR) for Designing and Construction of Production Facilities, Buildings and Structures").

In the Ukrainian EIA Standard, WPP with internal electricity transmission cables are not included in the list of types of activities or facilities which present an increased environmental hazard. The operation of WPP with internal electricity transmission lines does not produce waste and does not cause particulate or liquid emissions to the environment, and does not result in non-reversible or critical changes in the atmo-, hydro-, or lithospheres.

All anticipated environmental effects and mitigation measures are described in EIA.

Construction period

Geology and Geomorphology

One of the most important impacts is the road construction. In order to mitigate this impact, the project owner will try to take maximum use of the existing roads. If needed, the new roads will be built in such a manner so that the geology and geomorphology of the sites will suffer minimum damages.

Another possible impact is produced by the excavations. An important volume of soil will be excavated. Part of it (the most fertile) will be combined with fertile soil and used to cover the WTGs foundations. The other part will be used for the rehabilitation of the sites from where the material used for building the foundations is extracted or for the rehabilitation of other damaged sites in the area. The excavation will be made taking into consideration the directions of the WTG manufacturer and the local underground conditions so that the safety of the WT will be assured while minimizing the impact on the environment.

Flora

In the process of construction considerable areas will be withdrawn for erection facilities for temporal usage (cranes, auxiliary equipment), turbine sites parts etc. These areas will be temporally covered by concrete or asphalt-macadam surfacing.

Collection grid will be carried out by cable lines, i.e. these cables will be laid at the depth of 1 meter. The primary soils structure will not be damaged, since soil depth is larger. In any case, the upper layer of soil will be taken off with the purpose of later restoration and in order to reestablish vegetation.

Fauna

Some birds species, related to the group at risk of WPP influence, namely bustard and demoiselle crane, are nesting on the ground. Therefore, there is a risk of disturbance that will cause these birds to abandon the nests.

Visual impact

As any other construction, the construction of the Project (material storage sites, road development, ground disturbance, etc.) will temporarily change the landscape.

Noise

The construction phase includes a wide range of activities, including access road construction, grading, drilling and blasting (for tower foundations), construction of ancillary structures, cleanup, and re-vegetation. The noise levels generated by construction equipment vary significantly, depending on such factors as type, model, size, and condition of the equipment; operation schedule; and condition of the area being worked. In addition to daily variations in activities, major construction projects are accomplished in several different stages. Each stage has a specific equipment mix, depending on the work to be accomplished. Most construction activities occur during the day, when noise is tolerated better because of the masking effect of background noise. Night time noise levels probably would drop to the background levels of the project area. Construction activities last for a short period (1 to 2 years at most) compared with operation of the wind turbines, and, accordingly, their potential impacts would be temporary and intermittent in nature.

Cultural heritage

There may be an impact on the cultural heritage produced by the vibrations generated through the construction activity. The mitigation measures can be taken only by the construction company in the sense of reducing the vibrations of the equipment and using vibration absorbers while installing the WTGs.

Project Lifetime

Visual impact

Due to the large dimension, the turbines will be visible at a distance Visual evidence of wind turbines cannot be avoided, reduced, or concealed, owing to their size and exposed location; therefore, effective mitigation is limited. In any case turbine arrays and the turbine design would be integrated with the surrounding landscape.

Noise

During operation, the wind turbines will generate some noise. All the requirements on location, necessary sanitary zone and turbine equipment will be met and the noise will be kept below the legally permitted limits.

Land use impact

The acres will be withdrawn for turbines erection, auxiliary erection sites for a large crane, transmission line towers, drive ways, WPP substations and interconnection substation on the eastern site for the permanent use.

To minimize Land Use impact WTGs are designed to include transformers inside of it, also cable connection will be used to collect electricity within the wind field in order to avoid too many overhead transmission lines installations. All land procedures conducted by Nova-Eco will strictly follow the Ukrainian legislation and provide required compensation.

Biodiversity

Wind turbines, transmission lines and electrical substations will impact birdlife, wildlife and flora of the regions. Teams of scientists have conducted ornithological, theriological (mammals) and botanical investigations to assess the ecological impacts and the results of their efforts will be made public and reviewed carefully to avoid or to compensate any adverse impacts.

Environmental Impact Assessment (incl. botany, ornithology, herpetology, geology) was completed and approved by the State Committee for Ecological Evaluation (2007)