The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has awarded the Enviromental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) contract for the Oxbow Hydropower Scheme to a joint venture led by Italy’s ELC Electroconsult, along with Lesotho’s Greenway Consultancy and South Africa’s Green Gold Group. This contract represents a major milestone in Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), complementing the Oxbow Hydropower design and construction supervision contract awarded earlier in November. The Oxbow Hydropower Scheme, a critical element of LHWP Phase II, will work alongside the ongoing Polihali dam and Polihali transfer tunnel projects. The ESIA scope includes conducting a comprehensive assessment, preparing environmental and social management plans, ensuring compliance with Lesotho’s Environment Act of 2008 and IFC performance standards, supporting applications for a record of decision, and contributing to site selection, engineering designs, and monitoring requirements. The project will also involve detailed management and administration of the contract.