Track record
Selected project experience
Twenty years of environmental and social work on hydropower, pumped storage and associated infrastructure.
Projects before 2023 were delivered by Simon Howard as Principal Environmental and Social Consultant at Mott MacDonald (2016–2023) and as Sustainability Specialist at the International Hydropower Association (2011–2016).
ESDD & lender advisory · ESIA · Screening · Developer support · HSS · Programmes
Lender advisory
ESDD, lender advisory and monitoring
Baynes HPP, Angola/Namibia
Transboundary, Kunene River · SMEC · 2024–present
ESDD to the IFC Performance Standards: review of ESIAs, Resettlement Action Plans and stakeholder engagement.
Ngoulmendjim HPP, Gabon
83 MW and 80 km transmission line · AfDB · 2022–23
ESDD and lender’s technical advisor.
Sahofika HPP, Madagascar
192 MW and 130 km transmission line · AfDB · 2019–23
ESDD and lender’s technical advisor against the IFC Performance Standards and AfDB safeguards.
Kinguele HPP, Gabon
35 MW · Asonha Energie (AfDB, DBSA, IFC) · 2019–23
Lender’s technical advisor: full E&S review against lender requirements and actions to achieve conformance.
Alpaslan 2 HPP, Türkiye
280 MW · MUFG for a lender consortium · 2019–23
Lender’s technical advisor through financial close, construction, commissioning and operation.
Seli HPP, Sierra Leone
143 MW, Bumbuna expansion and Yiben · Joule Africa · 2018–23
Lender’s technical advisor: ESDD against the IFC Performance Standards.
Gulpur HPP, Pakistan
100 MW run-of-river · lenders incl. ADB and IFC · 2015–23
Led E&S construction monitoring, then operational monitoring.
Tarbela 5th Extension, Pakistan
WAPDA, World Bank financed · 2019–23
Owner’s engineer E&S: contractor prequalification, tender evaluation and quarterly construction monitoring.
Siti 1 & 2 and Lubilia, Uganda
5–15 MW · Elgon Hydro · 2016–23
Quarterly construction monitoring and risk advice.
Khobi HPP, Georgia
55 MW · Meridiam · 2017
ESDD and a roadmap of deliverables to meet lender requirements before financial close.
Nenskra HPP, Georgia
280 MW · EBRD · 2016
ESDD and preparation of the lender’s action plan.
Impact assessment
Environmental and social impact assessment
Tarbela 5th Extension, Pakistan
Incl. 325 MW floating solar · World Bank financed · 2019–23
ESIA with cumulative impact assessment for the transmission line, ESIA for floating PV, and management of survey teams and consultation.
Mpatamanga HPP, Malawi
With regulating dam · IFC · 2020–23
Led hydrology, hydrogeomorphology and water quality impacts; authored project description and alternatives chapters.
Pavua HPP, Mozambique
120 MW greenfield dam · EleQtra · 2018–19
ESIA project manager to Mozambican law and the IFC PS; water, alternatives and cumulative impact chapters.
Neretvica HPPs, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cascade of 15 small HPPs · EBRD · 2018
Managed the ESIA and critical habitat assessment; drafted key sections.
Jilamito HPP, Honduras
14.5 MW · INGELSA–IESA, for OPIC and IDB · 2019
Desk-based ESIA addendum aligned to the IFC PS, disclosed by OPIC.
Where we have worked
Projects across sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, Latin America and New Zealand.
Early stage
Red flag reviews, screening and gap analysis
Pumped storage acquisition, Wales
100 MW · confidential utility client · 2019
E&S red flag review as part of acquisition due diligence.
Afghanistan hydropower portfolio
IFC · 2018
E&S screening of candidate projects; two sites prioritised for development.
Tsanga HPP, Zimbabwe
2.5 MW · Lion’s Head Global Partners · 2019–20
Gap analysis of the ESIA and action plan against good international industry practice.
Mwambwa HPP, Zambia
EleQtra · 2016
Red flag review ahead of a full ESIA; the project was paused, saving significant investment.
For sponsors
Developer E&S support
Mphanda Nkuwa HPP, Mozambique
EDF · 2024
E&S strategy, terms of reference and E&S team design aligned with the IFC Performance Standards.
Ngonye HPP, Zambia
180 MW run-of-river · EleQtra · 2018
Owner’s engineer: downstream flow regime optimised for environmental, social and economic objectives.
Shuakhevi HPP, Georgia
187 MW · AGL · 2016
On-site secondment during construction: new ESMS, local capacity building and close-out of lender commitments.
Certification
Hydropower Sustainability Standard and Protocol assessments
Cahora Bassa HPP, Mozambique
Operation · HCB · 2025
HSS assessor; also a 2018 Protocol review for the World Bank.
Corrie Glas pumped storage, Scotland
Preparation · SSE · 2025
HSS lead assessor.
Clyde and Roxburgh, New Zealand
752 MW, operation · Contact Energy · 2023
HSS lead assessor, supporting Climate Bonds certification.
Baleh HEP, Malaysia
1,285 MW, implementation · Sarawak Energy · 2023
HSS lead assessor; also a 2021 Protocol review.
Jatiluhur HPP, Indonesia
185 MW, operation · PJT II · 2023
HSS acting lead assessor, team of six.
Chuwa HPP, Nepal
250 MW, preparation · Bizbell Energy · 2023
HSS acting lead assessor.
Earlier assessments
Sinop, Brazil (IHA ESG tool, 2018), and Protocol assessments from 2011 to 2015 including Blanda and Hvammur (Iceland), Keeyask (Canada), Gavet (France), Santo Antônio (Brazil), Sogamoso and Cañafisto (Colombia), Sava River (Croatia), Kabeli A (Nepal), Nam Lik (Laos) and early-stage projects for Ghana’s Ministry of Power.
Earlier work
Capacity-building programmes and earlier career
World Bank, Zambezi basin
2015–16
Training, internal assessments and management system support for the basin’s four main hydropower operators.
Norad, Nepal and Myanmar
2013–16
Capacity building for a developer in Nepal and government in Myanmar, including EIA process review.
European Commission
2010–15
A four-year programme promoting the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol across the EU.
AusAID, Vanuatu
2010–11
Project manager for the National Rural Electrification Plan, including E&S assessment.
Laos Institute of Renewable Energy
2009–10
Rural electrification and water supply for communities around a mine, including ESIA.
Max Fordham
2005–08
Trained as a mechanical and electrical engineer, specialising in renewable energy.
Next step
Need a CV for a bid?
We’re happy to provide full CVs and project references for proposals, and to join consortia as a specialist associate.
