Proposed sol platz solar photovoltaic (PV) Facility with battery energy storage system, Electrical grid connection, and associated Infrastructure near bloemfontein, free state Province

PROPOSED SOL PLATZ SOLAR PV FACILITY WITH BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL GRID CONNECTION, AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE NEAR BLOEMFONTEIN, FREE STATE PROVINCE: NOTIFICATION OF SUBMISSION OF UPDATED APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION AND FINAL SCOPING REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

SCOPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTING PROCESS:
DFFE Ref No.:14/12/16/3/3/2/2773

ACWA Power Vusa Sol Platz (Pty) Ltd (“the Applicant”) propose to develop a 200 MW Solar Energy Facility (“SEF”) and associated infrastructure in the Kloofeind area, approximately 11km west of Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. The proposed project includes an electrical grid connection from the SEF to an existing 275 kV Eskom powerline, via a Loop-In- Loop-Out (LiLo) Facility. Other associated infrastructure includes, inter alia, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), on-site substation, laydown areas, access road, internal road network, buildings, and fencing.

The proposed SEF would be located on one land parcel, i.e. Remaining Extent of the Farm Bergplaats No. 41, approximately 11km west of Bloemfontein in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Free State Province. The proposed electrical grid connection corridor would be located on: the Remaining Extent of Farm Bergplaats No 41; Portion 1 of Farm Poundisford No. 2803; Remainder of Farm Wolfkop No. 2353; Portion 1 of Farm Wolfkop No. 2353; Portion 5 of Farm Wolfkop No. 2353; Portions 3 and 10 of Farm Spes Bona No 2355 (recently consolidated and also known as Portion 15 of Farm Spes Bona No. 2355), and Portion 0 of Farm Wolfkop No. 2353, Bloemfontein Registration Division, Free State Province.

In terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (2014), as amended, enacted in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended, the proposed project triggers a number of listed activities identified in Government Notices (GN) R.983, R.984 and R.985, as amended. Accordingly, the proposed project requires Environmental Authorisation from the competent environmental authority, viz. the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) via the Scoping and Environmental Impact Reporting (S&EIR) process outlined in GN No. R.982, as amended. Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants has been appointed by the Applicant to undertake the requisite EIA process for the proposed project in accordance with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (No. 107 of 1998), as amended, EIA Regulations (2014), as amended.

Notice is given of the submission of the Updated Application for Environmental Authorisation (EA) and the Final Scoping Report to DFFE, in terms of the NEMA EIA Regulations (2014), as amended.

The Updated Application for EA and Final Scoping Report is being made available to the public for information purposes only via the link below. All registered &APs will be notified of the availability of the Draft EIA Report and provided with an opportunity (i.e. 30 days) to comment on the Draft EIA Report.

Please note that all comments submitted by I&APs during the I&AP comment period for the initial Application for EA and Draft Scoping Report (i.e from 20 October 2025 – 19 November 2025) have been recorded and responded to in a “Comments and Response Trail Report (C&R)”. Please refer to Annexure H5 of the Final Scoping Report for the C&R Report.