Participants from five
Commonwealth countries
met in Nairobi recently to
undergo training in environmental impact assessment in
project planning and management. Kenya showed
them a model of development sans pollution: a hi-tech geothermal power
plant, the first of its kind in
Africa, lies 120 km from
Nairobi near Lake Naivasha,
surrounded by Hell's Gate
National Park. It produces
about 10 per cent of Kenya's
electricity.
According to Shirley
Anne Grindley of South
Africa, a trainer at the workshop, "The plant does not
disturb wildlife or cause
damage to the vegetation."
The plant produces electricity by tapping the natural
heat of the earth's crust
which is stored in rocks and
water within the earth. Such
concentrations of steam are
tapped at high pressure by
drilling wells. The steam is
led through pipes to drive
electricity generating turbines. The training programme was aimed at
increasing participants' skills
in commissioning, supervision and analysis of environ
mental impact assessment.
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