Longyuan Mulilo De Aar Maanhaarberg Wind Energy Facility Near De Aar, Northern Cape Province

LONGYUAN MULILO DE AAR MAANHAARBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY NEAR DE AAR, NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE: NOTIFICATION OF THE RE-COMMENCEMENT OF THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS FOR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME AND LAYOUT PLAN

(DFFE REFERENCE NUMBER: 12/12/20/1651/MP1)

Please note that this is a re-commencement of the process started in 2020 which was paused due to the Covid-19 National Lockdown in March 2020. Since the process was paused, updates to the avifaunal mitigation measures have been made in the amended Environmental Management Programme.

Longyuan Mulilo De Aar Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd propose to amend the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) and Layout Plan for the operational Wind Energy Facility (WEF) near De Aar, in the Northern Cape Province, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (2014), as amended. The WEF is located on Remainder of the Farm Smouspoort (No. 130) and Remainder Portion 2 of the Farm Zwartekopjes (No. 131), near De Aar.

Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the WEF and its associated infrastructure was granted by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) (now known as the Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)) on 15 August 2011. The authorised layout includes 67 Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) with a generation capacity of 1.5MW per turbine, resulting in an optimal generation capacity of 100MW per annum, as well as associated infrastructure. Furthermore, the Northern Cape Department of Environment and Nature Conservation (DENC) (now known as the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform) granted authorisation for additional EIA listed activities for the WEF on 31 July 2014. The EMPr (May 2015) and Layout Plan dated May 2015 were approved by DEA on 3 August 2015. Construction of the WEF commenced in October 2015 and was completed in October 2017. The WEF has been operational since November 2017.

Longyuan Mulilo De Aar Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd wishes to update the approved EMPr and Final Layout Plan, to address refinements to the Final Layout Plan made during the construction phase (i.e. for the EMPr to include the “As Built” Layout), to remove reference to the 132kV transmission line (given that it is subject to a separate Environmental Authorisation with its own conditions of authorisation and EMPr), and to include updates to the avifauna related sections of the EMPr (including experimental turbine blade painting, amongst others), to minimise impacts on avifauna.

Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) are invited to comment on the draft Amended EMPr and “As Built” Layout Plan for the abovementioned project during the 30 day I&AP comment period i.e. 12 November 2024 – 12 December 2024.

A copy of the draft amended EMPr, including the “As Built” Layout Plan, is downloadable via the link below.

Should you have any comments regarding the proposed amendments, please submit your comments to Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants by 12 December 2024. Comments are to be submitted in writing via post, e-mail or fax to:

Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants
For attention: Ms Shannon Hyslop
Email: shannon@hollandandassociates.net
Post: PostNet Suite #108, Private Bag X12

All comments received during the 30-day I&AP comment period will be recorded and responded to in a Comments and Response Trail Report (CRR), which will be included in the final Amended EMPr that will be submitted to DFFE for approval.