South Africa’s Green Connection has speculated that Karpowership’s efforts to install facilities at three sites may have come to an end.
The Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Environment (DFFE) rejected Karpowership SA’s plan for a facility in Saldanha Bay on March 10. This follows the withdrawal of the company’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Richard’s Bay plan on March 2.
The department also rejected environmental authorisation for the Port of Ngqura plan on March 7.
The Green Connection noted allegations of non-compliance with EIA regulations at the Saldanha Bay plan. The NGO submitted a complaint to the DFFE on March 6 raising concerns around the consultations that were said to have been carried out.
Fish trouble
In particular, it said, Triplo4 – which is carrying out the EIA work for Karpowerships – appears to have “attempted to mislead the competent authority”. The NGO said the company appeared to have passed off results of talks with officials and commercial interests as if they were small-scale fishers.
There “was no focus group meeting” with smaller fishing interests, the NGO said. As a result, the claim of thoroughly investigating the impact was incorrect.
The Green Connection welcomed the investigation from the DFFE. “And while we are somewhat confused by the Environmental Assessment Practitioner’s (EAP) decision to withdraw the application in Richard’s Bay, hopefully this signifies the end of the Karpowership saga.”
The NGO said authorities should “focus on bringing affordable and appropriate energy to the grid, to address the load shedding”.
Karpowership SA planned to install 320 MW at Saldanha Bay, with two powerships and one FSRU. At Coega and Richards Bay, it would have provided 450 MW each.
The company won the work on the basis of generating emergency power. However, the contract would have seen Eskom commit to a 20-year purchase agreement. There has been widespread criticism of the way in which the government awarded the contracts.
Karpowership has not responded to a request for comment on its future plans.