Heritage Cases

Oya Energy (Pty) Ltd (hereafter referred to as “Oya Energy”) is proposing to construct a 132kV overhead power line near Matjiesfontein in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces (hereafter referred to as the “proposed development”). The overall objective of the proposed development is to feed the electricity generated by the proposed 750MW Oya Energy Facility (part of separate on-going EIA process with DEFF Ref No.: 14/12/16/3/3/2/2009) as well as potentially the nearby developments into the national grid. The grid connection and substation (this application) will requires a separate EA, in order to allow the EA to be handed over to Eskom. The proposed power line is located in the Witzenberg and Karoo Hoogland Local Municipalities respectively, which fall within the Cape Winelands and Namakwa District Municipalities. The entire extent of the proposed overhead power line is located within one (1) of the Strategic Transmission Corridors as defined and in terms of the procedures laid out in GN No. 1131, namely the Central Corridor. The proposed overhead power line project will therefore be subject to a BA process in terms of the NEMA (as amended) and Appendix 1 of the EIA Regulations, 2014 promulgated in Government Gazette 40772 and GN R326, R327, R325 and R324 on 7 April 2017. The competent authority for this BA is the DEFF. At this stage, it is anticipated that the proposed development will include a 132kV power line and a 33/132kV substation to feed electricity generated by the renewable energy facilities owned by the applicant into the national gird at the Kappa substation. The type of power line towers being considered at this stage include both lattice and monopole towers and it is assumed that these towers will be located approximately 200m to 250m apart. The towers will be up to 45m in height, depending on the terrain, but will ensure minimum overhead line clearances from buildings and surrounding infrastructure. The exact location of the towers will be determined during the final design stages of the power line design process and will be submitted along with the Final Basic Assessment report. 300m wide power line corridors (i.e. 150m on either side) are being assessed to allow flexibility when determining the final route alignment. The proposed power line however only requires a 31m wide servitude and as such, this servitude would be positioned within the assessed corridor. The size of the proposed Oya and Kudusberg on-site Eskom substation and O&M building site will be approximately 200m x 200m [i.e. 2 hectare (ha)] each. It should be noted that only one (1) route is possible for the section of the proposed power line which connects the Kudusberg WEF on-site substation (authorised under 14/12/16/3/3/1/1976/AM1) to the Oya Energy Facility on-site substation. No alternatives can therefore be provided for this section of the power line. The Kudusberg to Oya power line corridor route is approximately 16.6km in length and runs from the Kudusberg on-site substation along the RE/194, 1/158, RE/159, RE/156, 1/156 and RE/155 properties to the Oya on-site substation. This power line corridor route is to be assessed with each alternative mentioned below (i.e. Alternative 1-5) as these cannot be developed without this power line corridor (i.e. cannot have alternatives mentioned below without this power line corridor). Five (5) power line corridor route alternatives have however been provided for the section of the proposed overhead power line which connects the Oya Energy Facility on-site substation to the Kappa substation. The power line corridor route alternatives provide different route alignments contained within an assessment corridor of up to approximately 300m wide. This is to allow for flexibility to route the power line within the authorised corridor. The above-mentioned alternatives are described below: Power Line Corridor Alternative 1 (Oya to Kappa): Approximately 34.14km in length and runs along the RE/155, RE/152, 2/152, RE/169, RE/243, 241, 240 and RE/244 properties to the Kappa substation Power Line Corridor Alternative 2 (Oya to Kappa): Approximately 32.43km in length and runs along the RE/155, 3/155, RE/152, 2/152, RE/169, 13/168, 5/168, 1/243, RE/243, 241 and 240 properties to the Kappa substation Power Line Corridor Alternative 3 (Oya to Kappa): Approximately 30.56km in length and runs along the RE/155, 4/168, 13/168, 5/168, 1/243, 240 and RE/244 properties to the Kappa substation Power Line Corridor Alternative 4 (Oya to Kappa): Approximately 32.94km in length and runs along the RE/155, 4/168, 13/168, RE/169, RE/243, 241 and 240 properties to the Kappa substation Power Line Corridor Alternative 5 (Oya to Kappa): Approximately 32.26km in length and runs along the RE/155, RE/152, 2/152, RE/169, 5/168, 1/243 and 240 properties to the Kappa substation ‘No-go’ alternative: The ‘no-go’ alternative is the option of not fulfilling the proposed project as well as prevent the connection of the energy development in the area to feed electricity into the national grid. This alternative would result in no environmental impacts from the proposed project on the site or surrounding local area. It provides the baseline against which other alternatives are compared and will be considered throughout the report. Implementing the ‘no-go’ option would entail no development. The affected properties are currently not used for agricultural activities, although they are suitable for very low-level grazing. The ‘no-go’ option is a feasible option, however, this would prevent the proposed development from contributing to the environmental, social and economic benefits associated with the development of the renewables sector.