Bujagali Dam fails to meet international standards
15 February 2007
A report released last week documents the failure of the proposed Bujagali Dam in Uganda to fully comply with the international best practices set by the World Commission on Dams (WCD)
The report by the International Rivers Network (IRN) in collaboration with Uganda’s National Association of Professional Environments (NAPE) cites several key areas where the proposed hydropower project does not meet the criteria set out in the WCD decision-making framework, including:
- the failure of studies to address the anticipated impacts of continued reliance on water releases from Lake Victoria, which is already at a critically low level
- the vulnerability of the proposed dam to climate change-induced drought
- the unavailability of many key documents to the public
- the lack of a comprehensive assessment of Uganda’s energy needs and alternative options for addressing the country’s energy crisis.
The project must be judged fully compliant with the WCD framework to qualify for carbon credits, in which the Dutch government has expressed interest.
Several major public lenders are currently considering financing for the project. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Investment Bank (EIB) are preparing investments worth $100 million and €100 million, respectively, toward the construction of the dam itself, and both are expected to decide in April whether to approve the project. The World Bank is also proposing to provide up to $115 through a partial risk guarantee, while the African Development Bank intends to contribute over $43 million toward the construction of transmission lines associated with the project.
Download the full report:
Additional Resources