Preparation of High Voltage Transmission

Projects – EIA and Planning Issues

Árni Jón Elíasson

System Planning, Landsnet
Landsnet - Overview
• Operating since 2005
• A public company that
o owns and operates the electrical transmission
system in Iceland, and
o is responsible
p for p
power system
y operation
p

• All transmission lines and related constructions

on voltage of 66kV or higher are included in
Landsnet‘s transmission system
y

• Number of staff ~ 100

• Outsource of design and construction work
EIA and Approvals in Iceland
Main legislation:

• The Environmental Impact Assessment Act (2000)

• The Planning and Building Act (1997)
• The Strategic Environmental Assessment Act ( 2005)
• The Electricity Act (2003)

• Other legislation
o National Heritage Act (2001)
o Nature Conservation Act (1999)
Environmental Assessment
What energy transmission projects require an EIA in
Iceland?
Projects always subject to an EIA:
• Overhead electrical power lines, outside urban areas, on voltage of 66
kV or more
• Submarine cables for transport of electricity on voltage of 132 kV or
more and 20 km or longer in length
Environmental Assessment
What energy transmission projects require an EIA in
Iceland?
Case by case screening. Projects are to be notified to the
National Planning
g Agency
g y ((NPA):
)

• Transmission of electrical energy by underground cables, which

are 10 kkm iin llength
th or llonger and
dbburied
i d iin th
the ground
d or placed
l d
in tunnels, outside of urban areas;
• transmission of electrical energy by overhead cables in
protected areas; and
• submarine cables
Participants
P ti i t in
i the
th
preparation process
• Municipalities
• The National Planning Agency
• Ministry for the Environment
• Other license holders and
statutory consultees,
consultees ii.e.
e
o The Environment Agency
o Health Inspectorates
p
o The Archaeological Heritage Agency
o The Energy Authority
• The public
• Landowners
• Other stakeholders
Landsnet’s Energy Transmission System
Substations: 71
Ongoing projects that were notifified to the NPA
Ongoing
g g projects
j subject
j to EIA
Possible future expansion
Ring connection– upgrade to 220 kV / new 220 kV OHTL
Possible future expansion
p
A 220 kV highland route – as shown on land use plans
Possible future expansion
p
Upgrade to 400kV in SW - Iceland
Key steps in project preparation
Key steps in project preparation
Key steps in project preparation
Key steps in project preparation
Key steps in project preparation
Key steps in project preparation
Key steps in project preparation
Feedback between stages
g
Key steps in project preparation
Preparation time scale
Key steps in project preparation
Preparation phases Construction phases
Consultation and comments
Th sooner th
The the b
better
tt
Example of recent projects:
Extension of the Electrical Transmission System
y in
the Reykjanes Peninsula
Example of recent projects:
Extension of the Electrical Transmission System
y in
the Reykjanes Peninsula

Key figures:
• New OHTL: 155 km.
• New underground cables: 33
km.
• OHTL Removal: 93 km
( iti ti measures))
(mitigation
• New substations: 3
• Enlargement or changes in
substations: 4
• Removal of substations: 1
Timeframe and participants
• Preparations Began in 2005
• Environmental Impact Assessment finished in
september 2009
• Land use plan amendments, licensing etc. are still
ongoing

• Planning authorities: 12
• Other license holders: 6
• Landowners: ~150
• Other stakeholders and statutoryy consultees: ~ 20
Presentation and consultation
• Open houses and public meetings
• Field trips and visits
• Presentation material
• Homepage: www.sudvesturlinur.is
www sudvesturlinur is
Example of recent projects:
The extension
Th t i off the
th
electrical transmission
system
ÓÁ10 in North East

Iceland

Key figures:
K fi
• 220 kV OHTL: 120 km
• 132 kV underground cables:
10 km
• Substations: 5
The extension of the electrical transmission
system in North East Iceland
Timeframe and participants
• Preparations Began in 2007
• EIA is still going on (probably finish in Oct. 2010)
• Land use plan amendments
amendments, licensing etc.
etc are
ongoing

• Planning authorities: 5
• Other license holders: 8
• Landowners: 40
• Other stakeholders and statutory consultees: 13

• An emphasis on a holistic approach through a Special

Regional Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment
The extension of the electrical transmission
system in North East Iceland
Cumulative impact assessment (CIA)

A part of bigger project: Geothermal power

production, aluminium smelter and energy
p gy
transmission

Article 5.
5 of the EIA –Act:
Act:

“In cases where more than one project

j
subject to assessment is planned in the same
area, or projects that are contingent upon one
another the National Planning Agency may
another, may,
after consultation with the developer and
licensor concerned, decide that their
environmental impact shall be assessed
jointly. “
The extension of the electrical transmission
system in North East Iceland
Cumulative impact assessment (CIA)

• After discussion of a possible CIA The NPA

desided a pparallel EIA of all p
projects
j and a
coordinated summary
• NPA’s
NPA s decision for a joint assessment was
appealed
ÓÁ11
to the Minister for the Environment
• The Minister for the Environment decided on
the 31st of July 2008 that a Cumulative
Impact Assessment should be carried out,
although not all projects are included
The extension of the electrical transmission
system in North East Iceland
Cumulative impact assessment (CIA)

• The Environmental Minister in an open meeting

on the 12th of August
g 2008: “We are talking
g
about weeks or months” – when asked about
delays
y
Morgunblaðið 13th of August 2008
• Delays
y
• Added cost
• Benefits for:
o Developers?
o Public?
o Nature?
 ÓÁ9

Summary – important issues and

challenges
• Many planning authorities for one project
project, with
different views and interests
o National Plan or Policy for infrastructure

• Timeframes for comments from statutory consultants

not kept
o Increased efficiencyy within ggovernment agencies
g and
the municipalties is vital for the timeframe

• Emphasis on consultation
o More and earlier in the process
Summary – important issues and
challenges
• Scoping: A tendency to gradually increase
demands and amount of data
o Important
p to focus on what matters and assess the scope
p of
the EIA on a case by case basis
• Unrealistic demands of high voltage
underground cables instead of OHLT
o An increased understanding with better flow of information
and increased consultation
• Important to keep the processes not too
complicated
o Avoid repetitions, i.e. strategic environmental assessment and
EIA on many levels
o Only use CIA in exceptional circumstances
Thank you for your
attention