Gu’ertu River Cascade Stage IV 20MW Hydropower Project

Audit Analysis

A 20 MW CDM hydropower project in China with VVB-confirmed additionality and a reputable verification body, but undermined by six material findings in the PDD, contradictory leakage and baseline designations across documents, and an internal inconsistency in claimed emission reductions within the same monitoring report. The absence of a verified ERR figure and the unresolved contradictions create meaningful uncertainty around the project's actual credit volume.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Six material findings (CARs) in the PDD covering generator parameters, tool versions, grid connection, monitoring method validity, project start date, and sensitivity analysis — yet the corrective-actions-required list is empty, suggesting these were not formally closed
• ⚠Internal contradiction in the 2024 monitoring report: two different total ERR claimed values (225,580 vs 126,784 tCO2e) appear in the same document, with no clear explanation of which applies to which period
• ⚠Leakage justification is contradictory: the 2012 validation report deems leakage negligible, while the 2024 monitoring report states leakage was 'not addressed', leaving the 0% deduction without a consistent evidentiary basis
• ⚠Baseline method is designated as 'project' in the monitoring report but 'jurisdictional' in the validation report, creating ambiguity about whether the grid emission factor or a project-specific baseline was used

Credit Vintages

No issuances recorded on the registry.