Part 2 - Eskom

ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED 40MW OPEN CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER
PLANT IN THE AMERSFOORT AREA, MPUMALANGA
10. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Bohlweki-SSI Environmental
This Environmental Scoping Study (ESS) for the proposed establishment of a 40 MW
open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) power plant has been undertaken in accordance with
the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (2006) published in Government
Notice R385 to R387 of 21 April 2006 in terms of Section 24(5), read with Section 44,
of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998)
In line with Regulation 29 (Chapter 3) of the EIA Regulations, this issues-based ESS
aimed to identify and provide:
• A description of the proposed activity and of any feasible and reasonable
alternatives that have been considered as part of the Scoping Process;
• A description of the environment that may be affected by the activity and the
manner in which the physical, biological, social, economic and cultural aspects of
the environment may be affected by the proposed activity;
• The identification of all legislation and guidelines applicable to the proposed
project;
• A description of environmental issues and potential impacts, including cumulative
impacts, that have been identified;
• Details of the public participation process conducted to date; and
• A plan of study for environmental impact assessment (PoS for EIA) including the
methodology that will be adopted in assessing the potential impacts that have
been identified, including specialist studies or specialised processes that will be
undertaken.
The conclusions and recommendations of this Scoping Study and Report are the
result of both desk-top studies and on-site inspections conducted by the
environmental specialist team.
10.1. Potential Environmental Impacts Identified in the Scoping Study
A summary of the potentially significant issues associated with the proposed 40MW
OCGT power plant, identified within the Environmental Scoping Study, is provided in
Table 10.1 overleaf. Specialist input was received for the following disciplines:
Geohydrology; Hydrology; Wetlands; Soils and Agricultural Potential; Biodiversity;
Social; Air Quality; Visual; Micro-economic; Heritage and Noise. The area of potential
impact and recommendations for investigations to be undertaken within the EIA
phase are also specified.
E02.JNB.000308
ESKOM HOLDINGS LIMITED
01
96
08/10/2009