Heritage Cases

Mainstream Renewable Power South Africa (hereinafter referred to as Mainstream) is proposing to construct a renewable energy facility in the Ubuntu Local Municipality and the Pixley KaSeme District Municipality, 25 km of Victoria West and 10 km from the Hutchinson Settlement, Northern Cape Province. As per the prevailing environmental legislation in force at that time (i.e. the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations of 2006 promulgated under the National Environment Management Act (NEMA) (Act No. 107 of 1998)), an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was undertaken during 2010 to 2011 for the proposed renewable energy facility (ERM, 2011), which included a wind energy facility (WEF) and a solar energy facility, and received Environmental Authorisation (EA) from the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 10 November 2011 (DEA Reference number: 12/12/20/1788, NEAS Reference number: DEAT/EIA/12225/2011). Subsequently, a non-substantive amendment process was followed and an amended EA was issued on 10 October 2014 (DEA Reference number: 12/12/20/1788/AM1). The non-substantive amendment entailed changing the EA holder’s details and extending the validity period of the EA for two years. Mainstream now wishes to apply for a substantive amendment to the EA issued to ensure that what is proposed on site is aligned with the EA and the conditions contained therein. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been appointed by Mainstream to manage the required amendment process.