Bay residents engage on floating gas-to-power plant
SKILLS development, job opportunities, and the negative impact to health and the environment were among the issues of concern raised by City of uMhlathuze residents at a public meeting on the Karpowership floating gas-to-power project earmarked for Richards Bay.
The meeting, attended by more than a hundred residents, was held at the ZCBF in Richards Bay on Wednesday.
It is part of a series of engagements Karpowership SA is hosting in a bid to obtain environmental authorisation to kick start the project they say will respond to the country's current electricity crisis.
They were awarded three bids in 2020 for their floating gas-fired power plants to be stationed at three ports, including Richards Bay.
The plants are expected to produce a combined 1 220MW gas-fired generation capacity.
They have, however, been met with much opposition and were denied authorisation by Minister of Environmental Affairs Barbara Creecy amid concerns over inadequate public participation.
The company brought a number of experts in the field to Wednesday's meeting to unpack various issues, among them being air quality, marine life, underwater noise, and the socio-economic impact.