Heritage Cases

Corona Energy (Pty) Ltd is assessing the feasibility of an energy generation facilities, consisting of the construction, operation and maintenance of a Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plant on the Farm Biddulph 329, De Dam 27 & Tevrede 361, Ventersburg. The purpose of the proposed Solar Photovoltaic Plant is to add new capacity for the generation of renewable electric energy to the national electricity supply in compliance with the REIPP Procurement Programme in order to meet the “sustainable growth” of the Free State Province. The use of solar radiation for power generation is considered as a non-consumptive use and a renewable natural resource which does not produce greenhouse gas emissions. The generation of renewable energy will contribute to the growth of South Africa’s electricity market, which has been primarily dominated up to this date by coal-based power generation. With specific reference to photovoltaic energy, and the proposed project, it is important to consider that South Africa, and in particular the Free State Province, has one of the highest levels of solar radiation in the world. The proposed solar park will assist the Eskom grid to meet the high energy demand related to the mining and industrial activities conducted in the Virginia and Welkom areas. Furthermore, being a renewable energy project which don’t generate greenhouse gases, it will assist to compensate the greenhouse gas emissions arising from these mining and industrial activities. The proposed Corona renewable energy generation facility, located within the Matjhabeng and Masilonyana Municipalities, Lejweleputswa District Municipality, Free State Province, is located between 8 and 22 km South- East of Virginia and ±20km South-West of Ventersburg. The developed area (footprint) required for the proposed project will be up to 530hectares. The final size and location of the project footprint will be assessed following the outcomes of the Public Participation Process and of the recommendations and conclusions of the Specialist Studies to be conducted during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Access to the project sites would be from the regional road R73 running from the N1, North-East of Winburg, in the direction of Virginia. This road crosses, from North to South, the development area of Florida and continues along the south-western corner of the development area of Corona. The proposed development (the Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plants and connection infrastructure) consists of the installation of the following equipment: - Photovoltaic modules (mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline or bi-facial modules) - Mounting systems for the PV arrays (single-axis horizontal trackers or fixed structures) and related foundations - Internal cabling and string boxes - DC/AC inverters - Medium voltage stations, hosting LV/MV power transformers & medium voltage receiving station(s) - Workshops & warehouses - Five on-site high-voltage substations (one per project) with 22kV/132kV step-up transformers, and with four 132 kV busbars (switching stations) with metering and protection devices - Four 132 kV power lines (double circuits), connecting each solar park to the Eskom Theseus Main Transmission Substation (MTS) - One high-voltage substation (if required by Eskom) with 132kV/400kV step-up transformers, and with 132 kV and 400 kV busbars (switching stations) with metering and protection devices, to be located next to the Eskom Theseus MTS - Five Battery Energy Storage Systems (5 BESS, one per project), with a Maximum Export Capacity from 100 MW up to 240 MW each (depending on the Maximum Export Capacity of the solar park) and up to 6-hour storage capacity (from 600 MWh up to 1440 MWh each), with a footprint from 10 ha up to 20 ha each, next to the on-site high-voltage substations, within the PV plant footprint / fenced area - Electrical system and UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) devices - Lighting system, grounding system - Internal roads - Fencing of the site and alarm and video-surveillance system - Water access point, water supply pipelines, water treatment facilities - Sewage system - Interventions on the Eskom Theseus Main Transmission Substation (MTS). During the construction phase, the site may be provided with additional: - Water access point, water supply pipelines, water treatment facilities - Prefabricated buildings - Workshops & warehouses which will be removed at the end of construction. The connection may also entail interventions on the Eskom grid, according to Eskom’s connection requirements/solution. The solar park will be connected to the Eskom Theseus Main Transmission Substation (MTS) located on Portion 6 of the Farm Doorn rivier 330, Theunissen RD, +/- 18 km North-West of the northwestern corner of the Corona project site. The following properties fall within the Powerline Study Corridor and may be crossed by up to four proposed 132 kV powerlines, depending on the final alignments: - Farm Blomskraal 216, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Farm De Dam 27, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Farm Tevrede 361, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Farm Biddulph 329, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Remaining Extent of the Farm Le Roux 766, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 1 (Remaining Extent) of the Farm Le Roux 766, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 2 of the farm Le Roux 766, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 1 of the farm Le Roux 717, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 1 of the Farm Florida 633, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 4 of the Farm Florida 633, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 2 of the Farm Welgelegen 382, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 22 of the Farm Welgelegen 382, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 24 of the Farm Welgelegen 382, Registration Division Ventersburg RD - Portion 27 of the Farm Welgelegen 382, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Remaining Extent of the Farm Bloemhoek 509, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 2 (Remaining Extent) of the Farm Bloemhoek 509, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Portion 3 of the Farm Bloemhoek 509, Registration Division Ventersburg RD; - Remaining Extent of the Farm Doorn River 330 (Portion 11 & Portion 21 unregistered), Registration Division Theunissen RD; - Portion 3 of Farm Hakkies 695, Registration Division Theunissen RD; - Portion 18 of Farm Hakkies 695, Registration Division Theunissen RD (unregistered); - Portion 6 of the Farm Doorn River 330, Registration Division Theunissen RD.