Dagachhu Hydropower Project, Bhutan
#1098of 1935 in Renewable energy#829of 1459 in CDM (UNFCCC)#856of 1287 in ACM0002
Audit Analysis
The Dagachhu Hydropower Project is a CDM-registered small hydro scheme in Bhutan with VVB-confirmed additionality and a low inherent reversal risk, but its documentation carries seven material corrective actions and four cross-document contradictions that undermine confidence in the baseline, grid emission factor, and lifetime emission reduction figures. The project is functional and monitored, yet the quality of its underlying documentation and the unresolved discrepancies between the PDD, validation report, and monitoring report place it in a middling risk band.
Red Flags
- Seven material findings (CARs) identified by TUV SUD, including grid emission factors not calculated with the latest CEA/Bhutan Power Databook data and monitoring parameters misaligned with Methodological Tool 05
- Contradiction in baseline method: the monitoring report (Aug 2022) describes a project-specific baseline while the validation report (Dec 2021) describes a jurisdictional baseline
- Lifetime emission reduction figures differ by ~14% between the monitoring report (397,106 tCO₂e) and the validation report (452,625 tCO₂e), with no documented reconciliation
- Crediting period start date differs between documents: 2014 (monitoring report) vs 2021 (validation report), a seven-year discrepancy that materially affects the pro-rata delivery calculation
- Verified emission reductions for the 2021 monitoring period are not stated in the extracted record, preventing a direct delivery check
Credit Vintages
| Issued | Retired | Available | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 334,148 | 0 | 334,148 | |
| 2017 | 349,005 | 0 | 349,005 | |
| 2018 | 456,476 | 0 | 456,476 | |
| 2019 | 364,559 | 0 | 364,559 | |
| 2020 | 362,129 | 0 | 362,129 | |
| 2021 | 468,148 | 0 | 468,148 | |
| Total | 2,334,465 | 0 | 2,334,465 |
Risk Indicators
VVB-confirmed combined test
Hydro – low reversal risk, no events reported
0% deduction; 'quantified' vs 'negligible' contradiction
Project-specific per monitoring report; contradicts validati
FPIC done, safeguards mentioned; grievance mechanism unstate
CORSIA and CCP status both unstated
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