WIND ENERGY FACILITY SITUATED ON THE EASTERN PLATEAU (NORTH) 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 NO.: 12/12/20/2463/2/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 Environmental Management Programme (EMPr).

Longyuan Mulilo De Aar 2 North (RF) (Pty) Ltd propose to amend the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) and Layout Plan for the operational Wind Energy Facility (WEF) on the eastern plateau (north) (also known as the De Aar 2 North 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). The WEF is located on the following properties: Pienaarskloof (Farm No. 136 Remainder of Portion 1); Pienaarskloof (Farm No. 136 portions 6); Brack Fountain (Farm No. 148 Remainder of Portion 2, Portion 4 and Remainder) and Vendussie Kuil (Farm No. 165 Remainder of Portion 1and Portion 7); Washbank (Farm No. 149 Portion 1); Enkeldebult (Farm No. 150 Remainder of Portion 4 and Remainder); Zwagershoek (Farm No.151 Portion 1 and Portion 2); within the Emthanjeni Local Municipality and Renosterberg Local Municipality in the Northern Cape Province.

Environmental Authorisation for the WEF was granted by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) (now known as the Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)) in terms of the NEMA EIA Regulations (2010) on 1 March 2013. 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 WEF has been authorised for 144 Wind Turbine Generators (WTG’s) with a potential generation capacity of 216MW – 360MW, however only 96 WTG with a generation capacity of 1.5MW each have been constructed, thereby resulting in a potential total generation capacity of 140MW. Construction of the WEF commenced in August 2015 and was completed in October 2017. The WEF has been operational since November 2017.

Longyuan Mulilo De Aar 2 North (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 discrepancies between the approved EMPr and approved Layout Plan, to update the EMPr in terms of the requirements of Appendix 4 of the EIA Regulations 2014, as amended, and to update the avifaunal mitigation measures (including proposed 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, which includes 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.