The Blue Planet Prize

In collaboration with UNESCO, IHA awards the IHA Blue Planet Prize every two years. This Prize recognizes outstanding performance in sustainable management of hydropower schemes.

The previous recipients of the IHA Blue Planet Prize are:

• Andhikhola Hydel and Rural Electrification scheme, Nepal (2005)
• Arrow Lakes power plant, Canada (2005)
• Sechelt Creek power plant, Canada (2005)
• Salto Caxias Project, Brazil (2003)
• Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme, South Africa (2003)
• King River Hydropower Development, Tasmania, Australia (2001)

Andhikhola Rural Development

The Andhikhola scheme is owned and operated by the Butwal Power Company Ltd. The scheme, located in western Nepal, was built in 1991 with technical and financial assistance from NORAD (Norwegian Development Agency).

A concrete gravity diversion weir on Andhikhola River diverts water through a 1.3 km long tunnel and a 234 m vertical drop shaft. The 5 MW powerhouse is currently equipped with second-hand turbines previously used in Norway. A 1.1 km long tailrace tunnel returns the water downstream. The tunnel system also diverts water for irrigation. The opportunity was taken during construction to build Nepalese experience in tunnelling technology, as well as other areas of technical capacity-building. Various elements of the scheme have demonstrated exceptional innovation to fit with aspects of capacity-building, resource availability and the remoteness of the site.

The scheme delivers power to the national grid system as well as to the local population. Some 100,000 people in the region now enjoy the benefits of an electricity supply for the first time.  With the available power, more than 200 small enterprises have been established, creating employment for hundreds of people.

Excess water from the headrace is used to irrigate 282 ha of land. A long-term water sharing agreement has been established with the Andhikhola Water Users' Association, a community organization responsible for operation, extension and management of the irrigation system. The irrigation has benefited 800 low-income farming households, increased the crop reliability and yield, and subsequently household income. A previously food-deficient area is now produces a surplus. Trading has begun to export produce to other parts of the country. For its exceptionally positive socio-economic impact, the scheme was awarded the Blue Planet Prize in 2005. For more information click here

Arrow Lakes Generating Station

The Hugh Keenleyside Dam was constructed by BC Hydro in 1968 under the Columbia River Treaty between Canada and USA to store the spring runoff and mitigate downstream flooding. Hydropower generation at the dam was not economically feasible at the time of construction, and no provision was made for the future addition of a powerplant.

In 1995, a joint venture involving Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) and Columbia Power Corporation commenced development of a powerplant at the dam, involving a 1,500 m long channel to bypass the dam and convey flow to a powerhouse located downstream.  The scheme incorporates an innovative turbine design, which enables economic power generation, despite the wide seasonal variation in upstream water levels. Construction of the two-unit 185 MW Arrow Lakes Generating Station began in March 1999. The first unit produced power in February 2002, seven months ahead of schedule and on budget. 
                                                            
CBT is a regional organization established to promote social, economic and environmental well-being in the Columbia Basin.  Half of the income from power generation goes to the Trust for the benefit of the region.  An important part of the Arrow Lakes development was the involvement of the local residents, a Community Impact Management Committee and an independent Socio-Economic Monitor. From concept to commissioning, there has been strong public support for the project, which continues to the present. In 2005, the scheme was awarded the Blue Planet Prize for excellence in environmental, social and technical aspects.
For more information click here.

Salto Caxias

Salto Caxias Hydropower Plant on the Iguassu River in southern Brazil has an installed capacity of 1240 MW; it was developed and is managed by Comanhia Paranaense de Energia (COPEL). Salto Caxias was one of the first initiatives in the Brazilian electricity sector to be developed in accordance with the country’s environmental standards. The environmental studies, their conclusions and recommendations, were fully discussed with the local people. The consultation process was seen as important to manage environmental impacts and to optimise the positive outcomes associated with the development. Another important point taken into account was land conservation; part of the development includes 375 hectares of native forest which has been protected to create the River Guarani State Park.

In addition, the development required some 600 families to be relocated to a neighbouring territory. A major effort was taken to improve the living standards of the affected people. The resettlement approach was orientated around community development opportunities. An electricity network and rural telephone system, as well as previously unavailable education and health services, are now enjoyed by the resettled communities.

The results of the Salto Caxias project have shown that a partnership between a developer and the affected community can be very successful. In this case, the Regional Commission of People Affected by Dams (CRABI) was willing to work with COPEL on implementing the resettlement project. The work continues to motivate the previously impoverished communities in areas of agricultural science, water management and the values of life within a rural context. Acting through several farming cooperatives, the area has developed a speciality for organic farming and now even exports its products internationally. The scheme was awarded the Blue Planet Prize in 2003 for excellence in social aspects.
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Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme

The Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme is situated in the Western Cape, South Africa. The project is operated by Peaking Generation, part of the Generation Division of Eskom Holdings Ltd.  The 400 MW scheme is unusual in that not only generates peaking power for the country’s national grid, but its reversible pump/turbines also act as a link in an inter-catchment water transfer. Water is at a premium in South Africa and the scheme, operated in conjunction with South Africa’s Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, makes optimum use of this resource. In addition to this unusual dual role, extraordinary measures were taken during construction of the project to safeguard the environment, as it is located in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom: the smallest, but most diverse, plant kingdom in the world.

A multi-disciplinary Palmiet Committee, comprising representatives from many state bodies, educational institutions and specialist societies, was established in the early stages of planning for the scheme.  An Environmental Impact Control Plan, considered a forerunner of its time, was developed and implemented. The overall approach was to carry out controls from the very outset and rigorously follow them throughout the construction. Particular attention was continuously given to the protection of the unique fynbos flora. This proved to be an effective and economically viable approach that has continued into the operational phase of the scheme. The area has subsequently been designated a UNESCO Biosphere – the first in South Africa. The Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme was awarded the Blue Planet Prize in 2003 for its economic and technical performance as well as its synergy with the environment.
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King River Power Development

The King River Power Development on the west coast of Tasmania, is the first hydropower scheme to have received the IHA Blue Planet Prize (2001). In many ways, the scheme provides a useful guide for the development and sustainable operation of hydropower and has been acknowledged for its associated environmental management system, as well as technical innovations in its design and construction.

The King River project was widely accepted by the community, following broad consultation -particularly on environmental issues. Construction was completed in 1993, setting new standards for project evaluation and management.

The scheme is owned and operated by Hydro Tasmania, a government-owned generation authority that produces all of the electricity for Tasmania, Australia.  The King River Power Development, with an installed capacity of 143 MW, includes an 83 m high dam. The flood spillway for this rests on the downstream face and it was the first application of such a design on a dam of this type; this reduced costs and construction time. Lake Burbury, created by the scheme, also supports recreation, which benefits the whole west coast community of Tasmania. A particular aspect of the development’s environmental management relates to the monitoring of water quality; the watershed has been affected by mining activities and, to improve water quality, air can be injected into the water as it passes through the hydro scheme’s turbine.
For more information click here