Heritage Cases

Cygnis Energy (Pty) Ltd (Reg. No. 2022/367451/07) is proposing the development, construction and operation of a renewable energy generation facility (Photovoltaic Power Plant) and associated infrastructure, to be located within the Lephalale Local Municipality, Waterberg District Municipality, Limpopo Province. The proposed development will have a Photovoltaic (PV) array footprint of up to 500 ha, located on Farm GROOT VOGELSTRUISFONTEIN 644 LQ (1063.3369 ha) (Figure 0.1). The project envisages the establishment of a solar photovoltaic power plant with a maximum generation capacity at the delivery point (Maximum Export Capacity) of up to 240 MW. Two connection alternatives have been considered for the connection infrastructure: The proposed Lyra 2 Solar Park will deliver the electrical energy to the Eskom Matimba Substation (Connection Alternative 1) or to the Eskom Waterberg Substation (Connection Alternative 2). One 132 kV power line, approximately 10.5 to 14.7 km long (depending on the selected powerline corridor and connection solution, alternative 1 or 2), will connect the on-site 132kV switching station to: • the 132 kV busbar of the Eskom Matimba Substation (Connection Alternative 1 @ 132kV); or • to the new “Lyra” 132kV/400kV substation and 400kV switching station (Connection Alternative 1 @ 400kV), proposed next to the Eskom Matimba substation, on the Remainder of the Farm Grootestryd 465 LQ; or • the 132 kV busbar of the Eskom Waterberg Substation (Connection Alternative 2). Should the connection solution proposed by Eskom be at 400kV (Connection Alternative 1 @ 400kV), the proposed project will require the construction and operation of: • one 132kV/400kV step-up substation with high-voltage power transformers, stepping up the voltage to 400kV, and one 400kV busbar with metering and protection devices (switching station), to be built in proximity of the Eskom Matimba Substation, on the Remainder of the Farm Grootestryd 465 LQ (the “Lyra 132kV/400kV Substation and 400kV switching station”). This HV substation will form part of the Lyra 1 Solar Park only. • One 400 kV power line, 0.5 km long, connecting the on-site 400kV switching station to the 400 kV busbar of the Eskom Matimba Substation (the “Lyra 400kV Powerline”). This 400kV powerline will form part of the Lyra 1 Solar Park only. The “Lyra” 132kV/400kV substation and 400kV switching station and the “Lyra” 400kV Powerline will be shared by the Lyra 1 and 2 Solar Parks, but the applicant in terms of the environmental process is Lyra Energy (Pty) Ltd, the developer of the Lyra 1 Solar Park. Once built, this shared 400kV connection infrastructure will be owned and operated by Eskom.