Floating gas-to-power in Bay hit by another delay
PLANS to moor a floating gas-topower plant at the Port of Richards Bay have hit yet another hurdle as environmentalists vow not to back down in their opposition to the project.
Environmental groups groundWork (gW) and the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), are appealing a recent decision to grant the project environmental authorisation.
Karpowership SA was granted authorisation last month – a decision the company said was a crucial step in its process – with focus shifting towards meeting financial close and finalising agreements with Transnet
National Ports Authority (TNPA), which is now on hold.
The appeal, directed to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) Minister Barbara Creecy, will suspend the authorisation until the appeal is finalised.
“The appellants argue that the Karpowership is a flawed and expensive approach to addressing the electricity crisis, and has the potential to lock the country into an exorbitant contract for many years to come,” CER said in a statement.
“Should the appeal be dismissed, the appellants would be able to approach the High Court in a review application.”
The group says the appeal raises ‘numerous points about the defectiveness of the prescribed public participation process, including lack of adequate consultation with local fishing communities, whose livelihood, cultural ways of life and food security may be impacted’.
Karpowership SA has, however, consistently argued that its EIA processes have been thorough, and ‘included comprehensive and inclusive public participation processes in Richards Bay’.
The company said the decision to grant the project authorisation ‘demonstrated the department’s willingness to objectively evaluate the information at hand’.
“It is further justification that our powerships exceed both international and South African environmental standards, and we are pleased that this has been recognised,” said a Karpowership spokesperson.