Impacts of Mini Hydropower Plants: A research design through preliminary studies

Abstract

Hydropower is the number one renewable clean source of energy used for power generation in Sri Lanka when compared with solar, wind and bio mass sources. Despite being identified as a clean source of power generation, the hydropower plants also create negative impacts on the environment and the society. The hydropower plants are categorised according to their generation capacities and the minimum impacts are expected from the smaller plants which are categorised as Mini Hydropower Plants (MHP). Many research studies have been conducted to establish the social and environmental impacts due to construction and operation of MHP and research literature discusses various positive and negative impacts. However the list of such impacts is non-exhaustive as the magnitude and the nature varies with location. This paper presents the outcomes of a preliminary study of an on-going research involving two case studies on MHPs in Sri Lanka. The descriptive analysis of the data collected at this stage reveals the localised impacts due to construction and operation of MHP compared to the impacts listed and discussed in the research literature. Thus, this paper endorses the importance of preliminary studies in eliciting the real life concerns that could contribute to future social and environment impact assessments prior to establishing MHPs.