Proposed Paarde Valley Pv2 Switching Station, 132 Kv Overhead Powerline To Vetlaagte Main Transmission Substation (Mts), And Associated Infrastructure, Near De Aar, Northern Cape Province

APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION: AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT

Paarde Valley PV2 (Pty) Ltd (the Applicant) proposes the construction of a 132 kV, double circuit, overhead powerline (OHPL) grid connection from the authorised Paarde Valley PV2 solar energy facility to the Vetlaagte Main Transmission Station (MTS). The proposed project also includes the switching station (SwS) component of the authorised Paarde Valley PV2 on-site substation, a 132kV feeder bay at the Vetlaagte MTS, as well as service roads, access road and fencing.

The proposed project would be located within the following properties, near De Aar in the Northern Cape Province: Remainder of Portion 2, Portions 6, 29, 30, 31 and 43 of Farm 145 Paarde Valley; Remainder of Farm 179 Du Plessis Dam; Remainder of Portion 4 Vetlaagte; and Erven 266, 268, 5113, 5114, 5115, 5123, 5122, 5121, 5127, 5316 and 5315 in the Emthanjeni Local Municipality, Pixley ka Seme District Municipality.The proposed project is located within the Strategic Transmission “Central Corridor”.

The proposed project includes activities listed in terms of the National Environment Management Act (“NEMA”) (No. 107 of 1998) (as amended), Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) Regulations (2014), as amended i.e. Activities 11, 12, 19, 24, 27, 28, 48 and 56 of Listing Notice 1 (GN R983, as amended) and Activities 4, 10, 12, 14, 18, and 23 of Listing Notice 3 (GN R985, as amended) published in terms of the 2014 EIA Regulations, as amended. Accordingly, the project requires environmental authorisation from the competent environmental authority, i.e. the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) via a Basic Assessment process.

Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants has been appointed to undertake the requisite Environmental Impact Assessment process for the proposed project in accordance with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (No. 107 of 1998) EIA Regulations (2014), as amended.

Opportunity to participate: Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) are invited to register as I&APs and to provide comment on the Draft Basic Assessment Report. A copy of the Draft Basic Assessment Report is available for review for a period of 30 days, i.e., from 15 July 2022 – 15 August 2022 and is downloadable via the link below.

Should you wish to register as an I&AP, or have any comments, please submit your comments and/or contact details to Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants by 15 August 2022. Comments are to be submitted in writing via post, or e-mail to Ms Tilly Watermeyer of Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants (email: PaardeValleygridppp@gmail.com; post: P.O. Box 31108, Tokai, 7966; or tel: 060 319 1217).