Part 2 - Eskom
Part 2 - Eskom
Part 2 - Eskom
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ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED 40MW OPEN CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER<br />
PLANT IN THE AMERSFOORT AREA, MPUMALANGA<br />
Bohlweki-SSI Environmental<br />
During the scoping-phase site visit conducted early in 2009, this area was visited.<br />
There did not appear to be any wetlands in the immediate vicinity of the cleared area,<br />
although this has not been confirmed through in-field wetland delineation.<br />
The cleared area exists in fairly close proximity to a number of wetlands as identified<br />
by the desktop delineation, including a valley bottom wetland to the west and two<br />
hillslope seepage wetlands to the north and south respectively. At the closest point,<br />
the ‘cleared area’ is estimated to be located no more than 200m away from these<br />
wetlands, especially those to the south and the west. Should the footprint of the plant<br />
increase in size beyond the cleared area, the plant and associated infrastructure<br />
would be likely to be located closer to the surrounding wetlands. This aspect will<br />
need to be further investigated during the EIA phase of the study through<br />
investigation of the proposed layout.<br />
The impacts of linear associated infrastructure, such as roads, the proposed 88kV<br />
power lines, and the water pipeline, will need to be further assessed in the EIA phase<br />
study once the alignments of these are made available.<br />
8.6.3. Construction-related Impacts<br />
• General construction related impacts<br />
The construction of the proposed plant and associated infrastructure would be a<br />
large construction operation and a number of potential impacts of surface water<br />
resources typically associated with construction of large infrastructure may result.<br />
The most important of these potential impacts relate to:<br />
־ A lack of poor stormwater controls being put in place on the construction site.<br />
This may result in the creation of runoff containing pollutants such as cement<br />
and oils being transported by stormwater runoff into nearby drainage<br />
systems.<br />
־ The dumping of construction material, including fill or excavated material into,<br />
or close to surface water features that may then be washed into these<br />
features.<br />
־ Spills of hazardous materials, especially oils and other hydrocarbons that may<br />
be washed into, or infiltrate nearby surface water features.<br />
־ The conducting of certain construction-related activities (such as cement<br />
batching) too close to surface water features or without the implementation of<br />
certain controls that may lead to the direct or indirect pollution of the surface<br />
water feature.<br />
־ The lack of provision of ablutions that may lead to the conducting of ‘informal<br />
ablutions’ within or close to a surface water feature that may lead to its<br />
pollution by faecal contaminants.<br />
Most of these and other potential construction-related impacts can be minimised<br />
or adequately mitigated by controlling construction activities on the basis of an<br />
appropriately designed Environmental Management Plan (EMP). As mentioned<br />
above, the relative proximity of the construction activities to surface water<br />
features is an important factor in the degree of risk of these construction-related<br />
impacts occurring.<br />
E02.JNB.000308<br />
ESKOM HOLDINGS LIMITED<br />
01<br />
62<br />
08/10/2009