In line with international policy requirements of potential project financing institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the Korean Development Bank (KDB), and in line with the national regulations for major hydropower generation developments in Georgia, the project undertook a further assessment of environmental and social impacts in areas to be affected by the Nenskra Hydropower Project development, and developed enhanced mitigation measures and management plans to protect the interest and rights of project affected peoples, including vulnerable groups such as women, youth, children, people below the poverty line, and people with disabilities among others.

Between 2020 to 2022, the project strengthened its environmental and social management system, established the protocols for stakeholder engagement with local community members and a functioning grievance redress mechanism. Periodic environmental monitoring, additional field investigations, socio-economic profiling, further assessment of environmental and social risks and impacts assessment were undertaken by the project. The assessment informed the detailed environmental and management plans (ESMP), which are to be implemented by the EPC contractor during the main construction of the Nenskra Hydropower Project, and the project operating company throughout the project’s operational life. The enhanced mitigation measures and management plans specify the procedures, roles and responsibilities, management actions, training requirements, timeline for implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of performance indicators, to eliminate, if not minimise, project environmental and social risks and hazards within the project’s area of influence.