SA revokes directive for power ships to generate emergency electricity
Loading player...
The government has revoked an approval for Turkey’s Karpowership to set up emergency power in SA without the required environmental permits, the department of environment, forestry and fisheries said on Tuesday.
The department said in a statement it had withdrawn a section 30A directive granted to the company.
Under the National Environmental Management Act, such a directive gives permission to carry out an activity without obtaining environmental authorisation, to prevent or contain an emergency situation or the effects of one.
“When the company had initially submitted their request it had indicated that the country’s electricity supply was under threat because of the increased pressure on the healthcare system as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. The motivation for the request was to ensure an uninterrupted supply of energy to the healthcare sector, something which Eskom was unable to guarantee,” the department said.
The verbal authorisation was given on June 26 and the directive was confirmed in writing on July 6.
The department said it had subsequently emerged that Karpowership had applied for the verbal directive in advance, in preparation for the possible implementation of the government’s Integrated Resources Plan and in the event that the company would be selected as an emergency power producer as part of a tender process, which was formally launched by the department of mineral resources and energy this weekend.
“However, this information was not disclosed to the department when the company motivated for the verbal directive to be issued for the Section 30A activities, which are, in essence, an emergency provision,” the department said.
As there is now no emergency situation, the department has withdrawn the authorisation.
“The company has since accepted the notice and indicated that it does not intend to challenge the department’s decision to revoke the verbal directive,” the department said.
steynl@businesslive.co.za (mailto:steynl@businesslive.co.za)
The department said in a statement it had withdrawn a section 30A directive granted to the company.
Under the National Environmental Management Act, such a directive gives permission to carry out an activity without obtaining environmental authorisation, to prevent or contain an emergency situation or the effects of one.
“When the company had initially submitted their request it had indicated that the country’s electricity supply was under threat because of the increased pressure on the healthcare system as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. The motivation for the request was to ensure an uninterrupted supply of energy to the healthcare sector, something which Eskom was unable to guarantee,” the department said.
The verbal authorisation was given on June 26 and the directive was confirmed in writing on July 6.
The department said it had subsequently emerged that Karpowership had applied for the verbal directive in advance, in preparation for the possible implementation of the government’s Integrated Resources Plan and in the event that the company would be selected as an emergency power producer as part of a tender process, which was formally launched by the department of mineral resources and energy this weekend.
“However, this information was not disclosed to the department when the company motivated for the verbal directive to be issued for the Section 30A activities, which are, in essence, an emergency provision,” the department said.
As there is now no emergency situation, the department has withdrawn the authorisation.
“The company has since accepted the notice and indicated that it does not intend to challenge the department’s decision to revoke the verbal directive,” the department said.
steynl@businesslive.co.za (mailto:steynl@businesslive.co.za)
