Energy / Energy sector development and institutional reform

It is expected that the project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) consultants will undertake the following due diligence.

(i) Technical. Technical due diligence will assess the size, design, configuration, functions, and the cooling tower of the power plant. The adequacy of interfaces with gas, water, and power evacuation facilities will be reviewed. Operation and maintenance capacity will be assessed. Implementation constraints and lessons from the phase 1 project will also be reviewed.

(ii) Economic and financial. Economic due diligence will review the least cost options and economic viability. Financial due diligence will cover the preparation of cost estimates and financing plan, the project financial viability, cost recovery tariff, and sustainability of Uzbekenergo and the Talimarjan TPP.

(iii) Governance. Governance due diligence will cover financial management assessment, procurement capacity assessment, assessment of implementation structure and fund flow arrangements, institutional and procedural constraint review, integrity due diligence of potential cofinancier, policy and legal capacity for Talimarjan TPP to be the end borrower.

(iv) Poverty and social. Poverty and social assessment will cover the potential impact on inclusive growth, at the national and local level, and both direct and indirect. The PPTA will assess how the project can enhance the functions and activities of the social community center to be established under the first phase project. Gender category is _"some gender elements"_.

(v) Safeguards. Environmental category is _"A"_. An environmental impact assessment will be conducted to abide by ADB's Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) (2009). Involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples impact categories are both _C_. The project expects no resettlement or land acquisition as the proposed facility will be installed within the existing thermal power plant. No indigenous peoples as described in SPS (2009) are present in the project area.

As a part of the preparation of environmental impact assessment, at least two stakeholder consultations will be conducted by the project implementation agency with the assistance of project preparatory technical assistance consultant.

In addition, as a part of rapid poverty and social assessment, PPTA consultant will organize Focus Group discussions (FGD) and structured interviews in Nuristan town.

Consulting firm services totalling 33 person-months for international and 20 person-months for national, respectively to undertake project due diligence, prepare feasibility reports required by the Government and draft bidding documents. Recruitment selection method: quality-and cost-based selection (QCBS) with full technical proposal.

Individual national consultant is required to assist Executing Agency and project processing team in (i) achieving project readiness, and (ii) recruiting the project implementation

consultant, and (iii) assessing the local industry capacity in the power sector.