Part 2 - Eskom

ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED 40MW OPEN CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER
PLANT IN THE AMERSFOORT AREA, MPUMALANGA
• Potential Impacts on Geohydrology
Peer Review: Reinie Meyer (Private)
Bohlweki-SSI Environmental
This study will entail a peer review of the geohydrological report compiled for the
study area, making informed assessments as to the repercussions of the proposed
OCGT power plant on the groundwater resources locally and regionally with a view of
both the primary and secondary effects.
• Potential Impacts on Hydrology
Peer Review: Chris Waygood (Jones and Wagner)
This study will entail a peer review of the hydrological report compiled for the study
area, making informed assessments as to the repercussions of the proposed OCGT
power plant on the surface water resources locally and regionally with a view of both
the primary and secondary effects.
• Potential Impacts on Wetlands
Specialist input: Paul da Cruz – SiVEST
The desktop level assessment has identified that wetlands are distributed across the
study area site, comprising 47.6% of the areas of the study site. All wetlands
occurring on the site are sensitive features of the natural environment, and should be
protected from any adverse affect/impact due to the proposed development. The
proposed UCG plant and associated infrastructure has been scoped in terms of the
possible impact on wetlands, using the list of infrastructure provided as the basis on
which to identify impacts. This has been done across all life stages of the project,
from construction to post-closure. It should be noted that at this stage of the project
no potential layouts/alignments of infrastructure are available for assessment.
As part of the technical project information provided by the proponent, the mining
areas will not be located within any wetland area, or within a buffer delineated around
all wetlands on the study site, nor will any wetland areas be undermined. It has been
assumed that the same principle will be applied to the locating of infrastructure and
the plant itself (although certain linear infrastructure will have to cross wetlands as
described below). This factor greatly reduces the potential for the plant and
associated infrastructure as well as surface mining-related operations to directly
impact (physically alter) wetlands.
A policy of zero-discharges to the receiving environment also reduces the potential
impacts for discharges from the plant to potentially pollute wetlands. A set of
proposed linear infrastructure, including a power line, raw water pipeline, and access
roads would likely need to cross wetlands, thus potentially physically affecting them.
The nature of the design and mitigation measures adopted, as well as alignment will
determine the degree of potential impact of this linear infrastructure on wetlands.
More detail regarding the layout of the proposed plant is required for further, more
detailed assessment and identification of potential impacts associated with the
proposed plant and required mitigation measures in the EIA phase. If alignments of
proposed linear infrastructure are provided for assessment, these will be able to be
assessed in terms of their potential impact upon wetlands, and any design or re-
E02.JNB.000308
ESKOM HOLDINGS LIMITED
01
112
08/10/2009