THE Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment said on Thursday that it had declined applications by Karpowership for environmental authorisations for three gas-to-power projects.
In March, the government selected three Karpowership projects among preferred bidders in an emergency power tender.
A company that lost out subsequently challenged the tender results in court, and environmental activists have expressed opposition to the Karpowership projects.
Without these critical permits Karpowership’s projects cannot go ahead.
This effectively sinks the R225bn project.
In a statement released on Thursday, the department said it has reached a decision on three applications that were submitted in October 2020 by Karpowership SA (Pty) Ltd for an environmental authorisation for the development of gas to power via powerships.
“The Competent Authority in the department has decided, after due consideration of all relevant information presented as part of the environmental impact assessment process for all three applications in question, to refuse the applications for the environmental authorisations.
“The applicant had proposed to locate the three powership projects at the Ports of Richards Bay, Ngqura and Saldanha to generate electricity from natural gas to be evacuated through transmission lines to substations linking to the national grid. The powerships were to be assembled off-site and be delivered fully equipped and functional to the different ports,” the department said.
The applications came as a response to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s requests for emergency power supply interventions linked to the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Procurement Programme.
“The Competent Authority in the department adjudicated these applications in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and specific sections of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations,” the department said.
The final reports were submitted to the department for decision-making on 26 April 2021.
- Inside Politics
