1. Hydropower Sustainability
Assessment Protocol
Results from the Hvammur Project
Ragnheiður Ólafsdóttir
Environmental Manager

2. INDEX
 About Landsvirkjun
 About the Protocol
 Implementing the assessment for
the Hvammur Project
 Results for the Hvammur Project
 Landsvirkjun s experience of the
Protocol

3. Landsvirkjun

4. Take away message
• Founded in 1965 and owned by the
Icelandic state.
• One of 10th largest producers of
renewable energy in Europe.
• Generates electricity from:
› Hydro power sources - 96%
› Geothermal power sources - 4%
• Leading the way in research and
development on renewable energy in
Iceland.

5. Landsvirkjun
 12.5 TW/h generated in 2011
 Dominant electricity generator in
Iceland with a 73% market share
 82% of sales to power intensive
industries
 Sound financial position and a
reliable customer base
 All major projects have been
successfully completed
 235 employees

6. Landsvirkjun’s energy production
Laxá 28 MW
Krafla 60 MW
Bjarnarflag 3 MW
Blanda 150 MW
Fljótsdalur 690 MW
Hrauneyjafoss 210 MW
Sultartangi 120 MW Vatnsfell 90 MW
Sigalda 150 MW
Sog 90 MW
Búrfell 270 MW
Hydro power plant
Geothermal power plant
Transmission line

7. The Hydropower Sustainability
Assessment Protocol

8. Why a Sustainability Protocol for Hydropower
Projects?
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9. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol
• The Protocol was officially launched in June 2011.
• The Protocol is developed by a multi-stakeholder forum/body
with representatives from:
• Social and environmental NGOs (Oxfam, The Nature Conservancy, Transparency
International, WWF);
• Governments (China, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Zambia);
• Commercial and development banks (Equator Principles Financial Institutions
Group, The World Bank);
• The hydropower sector, represented by IHA.

10. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol
• The Protocol is governed by a multi-stakeholder council and managed by the
IHA.
• The Implementation of the Protocol is made possible by the assistance of EC
Life + Programme.
• The Protocol is an enhanced sustainability assessment tool used to measure
and guide performance in the hydropower sector.
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11. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol
• Is a framework for assessing the sustainability of hydropower projects.
• Divides hydropower sustainability into more than 20 clearly-defined
topics.
• Provides a consistent, globally-applicable methodology.

12. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes
(IPCC)

13. The Protocol’s Structure
The Protocol comprises five documents:
1. The background document
Four assessment tools for the different stages of the projects
life cycle:
2. Early Stage
3. Preparation Stage
4. Implementation Stage
5. Operation Stage
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14. Protocol Topics – Preparation Stage
Topics
P1 Communications & Consultation P13 Project-Affected Communities &
Livelihoods
P2 Governance P14 Resettlement
P3 Demonstrated Need & Strategic Fit P15 Indigenous Peoples
P4 Siting & Design P16 Labour &Working Conditions
P5 Environmental & Social Impact Assessment P17 Cultural heritage
& Management
P6 Integrated Project Management P18 Public Health
P7 Hydrological Resource P19 Biodiversity & Invasive Species
P8 Infrastructure Safety P20 Erosion & Sedimentation
P9 Financial Viability P21 Water Quality
P10 Project Benefits P22 Reservoir Planning
P11 Economic Viability P23 Downstream Flow Regimes
P12 Procurement

15. How is the Protocol assessed?
An independent team of accredited assessors:
• Analyse all documentation
• Visit the site
• Conduct numerous interviews with various stakeholders
• Score each topic according to their findings
How are these issues analysed?

16. Scoring Criteria of Each Topic and Scoring
How suitable, adequate and effective is the:
 Assessment
 Management
 Stakeholder Engagement
 Outcome
 Conformance/Compliance
Each topic is scored form level 1 to 5
 Basic good practice = 3
 Proven best practice = 5
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17. Implementation of the Assessment
for the Hvammur Project

18. http://www.hydrosustainability.org/Home.aspx
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19. Landsvirkjun’s objectives for the assessment
of the Hvammur Project?
 To identify how appropriate the Protocol is for
Landsvirkjun and Iceland.
 To benchmark Landsvirkjun to international
companies.
 To estimate the sustainability of the project.
 To find improvement opportunities in the project
and its preparation.
 To ensure transparency of the project and
engagement of stakeholders.
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20. Hvammur Hydropower Project

21. The Assessment Process for the Hvammur Project
 The assessment took place in May, 2012.
 About two months of preparation – (single point
of contact + local team)
 Team of six assessors (3 assessors and 3
trainees).
 The assessment took one week (> 60 hours).
 More than 50 individuals were interviewed.
 The final report from the assessment team was
published in October, 2012.
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22. List of Interviewees
NAME COMPANY/ORGANIZATION
Njörður Geirdal Hvammur Ragnheiður Ólafssdóttir Landsvirkjun
Gunnsteinn R. Ómarsson Rangárþing ytra Municipality Magnús Þór Gylfason Landsvirkjun
Ásgeir Jónsson Steinsholt sf. Jakob Gunnarsson Planning Agency
Náttúruverndarsamtök Suðurlands (NGO - Masterplan for energy and natural conversation
Environmental Organization for the south part of Svanfríður I. Jónasdóttir (Rammaáætlun.is)
Ingibjörg Elsa Björnsdóttir Iceland) Masterplan for energy and natural conversation
Sól á Suðurlandi (NGO-Local Environmental Sveinbjörn Björnsson (Rammaáætlun.is)
Guðfinnur Jakobsson Organization) Guðni Jóhannesson National Energy Authority
Magnús Jóhannsson Institute of Freshwater Fisheries Úlfar Linnet Landsvirkjun
Sigurður Guðjónsson Institute of Freshwater Fisheries Kristján M. Sigurjónsson Verkís consulting engineers
Helgi Jóhannesson Landsvirkjun Jón Sveinsson Landsvirkjun
Einar M. Júlíusson Mannvit consulting engineers Ísleifur Tómasson Electricians' Union of Iceland (RSÍ)
Sveinn Kári Valdimarsson Landsvirkjun Kristján Þórður Snæbjarnarson Electricians' Union of Iceland (RSÍ)
Oddur Bjarnason Thjórsá Angling Club Halldór Grönvöld Icelandic Labour Union
Kristófer Tómasson Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur Municipality Pétur Pétursson Landsvirkjun
Hermann Sigurðsson Ístak - Búðarháls Kristján Gunnarsson Landsvirkjun
Páll Eggertsson Ístak - Búðarháls Ragna Árnadóttir Landsvirkjun
Sveinn Fjeldsted Ístak - Búðarháls Hörn Hrafnsdóttir Verkís consulting engineers
Ásborg Arnþórsdóttir Tourist Association west of Thjórsá Edvard Guðnason Landsvirkjun
Kristinn Eiríksson Landsvirkjun Stella Marta Jónsdóttir Landsvirkjun
Kristján Kristinsson Landsvirkjun Former Employee of Almenna Verkfræðistofan
Jóhann Þórsson Soil Conservation Service of Iceland Sigmundur Einarsson consultancy/Icelandic Institute of Natural History
Helgi Bjarnason Landsvirkjun Einar Mathiesen Landsvirkjun
Sigurður H. Magnússon Icelandic Institute of Natural History Rögnvaldur Ólafsson Civil Protection in Iceland
Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson Landvernd, Icelandic Environment Association (NGO) Jórunn Harðardóttir Icaland Meterological Office
Landvernd, Icelandic Environmental Association Árni Snorrason Iceland Meterological Office
Helga Ögmundardóttir (NGO) Eggert Guðjónsson Landsvirkjun
Kristinn Magnússon The Archaeological Heritage Agency of Iceland Kristján Skarphéðinsson Minister of Industry
Bjarni F. Einarsson The Archaeological Office Guðlaugur Þórarinsson Landsvirkjun
Orri Vigfússon North Atlantic Salmon Fund Euler Hermes and Exportkreditgarantien der
Helgi Jensson The Environment Agency of Iceland Pablo von Waldenfels Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Ólafur A. Jónsson The Environment Agency of Iceland Andreas Hutzler Voith/Euler - Export Credits
Dóra Hjálmarsdóttir Verkís consulting engineers Ármann Jónsson Landsvirkjun
Guðmundur S. Pétursson Landsvirkjun
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23. Results for the Hvammur Project

24. Results for the Hvammur Project
The assessment covered 21 out of 23 possible topics:
 For 12 topics the project met a score of 5; Proven best practice.
 For 4 topics the project met a score of 4; One gap from best proven
practice.
 For 4 topics the project met a score of 3; Basic good practice.
 For 1 topic the project met a score of 2; One gap form basic good practice.
Each topic is scored form level 1 to 5:
 Basic good practice = 3
 Proven best practice = 5

25. The Results for Hvammur

26. The Results for Hvammur
Confirmed that the project had
been successfully implemented;
especially for:
• Technical- and economical
preparation - Topics based on
hydropower knowhow.
• Public Health and topics based on
the Nordic Welfare System.
• Labour & working Conditions and
topics based on certification e.g.
ISO-14001, IS0-9001 and OHSAS
18001.

27. Confirmed low scores on issues that have
been problematic:
Communication & Consultation:
• Absence of a planned approach to
communications, which would
establish a foundation for good
stakeholder relations throughout the
project lifetime.
• Poses a significant risk to the project
and Landsvirkjun.
Brought an awareness of a variety
of factors not considered before;
 For instance, the importance of the
effects of invasive species, etc.

28. Landsvirkjun’s Experience of the
Protocol

29. Landsvirkjun’s experience of the Protocol
• It is comprehensive and sensitive to
the issues unique to each site and
location.
• It is an evaluation that seeks out the
perspective of all parties involved
directly or indirectly, ensuring
equality at every level.

30. Landsvirkjun’s experience of the Protocol
• It insists that those responsible for
the project maintain open, effective
and constant communication with
government institutions as well as
the local community and investors.
• It creates a strict framework for
acceptable working methods and
requires the regular re-assessment
and updating of project plans and
schedules.
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31. 
Thank you!