Nuweiba combined cycle power plant project assessment

A new concern has risen in the form of the impending establishment of a new power plant in Nuweiba city in South Sinai.

Although HEPCA has experienced extensive pressure to respond with a statement condemning such a decision and taking all possible legal action, we have decided to deliberate over the issue and thoroughly examine the situation before taking such actions.

We are especially keen, as is any other environmental agency working in Egypt, to ensure that any project undertaken in Egypt is directed towards the support and enhancement of the livelihood of our own people, and ensuring environmental sustainability remains one of the key points in our assessment of these projects.

We have been in contact with the environmental impact department of the EEAA and we have been given the confirmation that this project did not receive any approvals from their part. Furthermore, the project has not submitted an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) which is required by the Ministry of Environment for project approval and permits.

We have immediately commissioned a group of experts to comprehensively assess the situation. Their examination will be based on the published EIA. Without the approval of the EEAA and the Ministry of Environment this project will not be executable.

The EEAA requires a public hearing to garner the consent and approval of the community for a project of such magnitude and size. Apparently a private hearing was conducted to assure that all the voices that may have voiced concerns would not be heard or taken into consideration.
This hearing must be recalled in order to fulfill the requirements of the Egyptian environmental law.



As a first step we have analyzed the executive summary of the Nuweiba power plant plans as it was published on the website of the project. The following points reflect our first impressions:

1. The executive summary lacks information. It reads more like an introduction. For instance, there is no solid information about the modeling of air pollution and noise.

2. The provided location map does not show the position of the plant.

3. There is contradiction in information related to the planned sites.

4. The summary mentions that the selected site is alternative 7. The site was selected to satisfy the evaluation criteria. These criteria do not mention whether the site has been selected as the best of 7 in terms of environment, engineering, social or economic criteria.

5. The Fact that the Gulf of Aquaba is protected under the law of natural protectorates was not considered as one of the legal aspects to consider in this project.

Our judgment relies entirely on the available information in the summary; However, missing information could be accessible in the full version. We are adamant that we maintain objectivity and rationality in our review and will take appropriate action only then, when we have all the information and knowledge that a potential ecological disaster is indeed looming.

For the “Summary environmental and social impact assessment” of the Nuweiba power plant, please check the PDF file in the HEPCA library.