Heritage Cases

The Applicant is proposing the development of grid connection and associated infrastructure to evacuate electricity generated from the authorised Umsinde Emoyeni and Khangela Wind Energy Facilities via the Gamma Substation, including the addition of a new access road to the authorised Ishwati WEF onsite substation. The intention is to assess the grid corridor within the Basic Assessment process and for the grid development corridor (layout) and Environmental Management Programmes to be approved with the Environmental Authorisation (if granted), to allow for financial close activities to be met timeously. The authorised Khangela and Umsinde Emoyeni Wind Energy Facilities have been selected as preferred bidder projects via private off take (i.e. private power purchase) procurement processes, and construction is expected to commence in 2023. The Umsinde Emoyeni Wind Energy Facility project also has been registered as a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP 20c) and thus corresponding authority decision making timelines (57 days) are anticipated. A Basic Assessment (BAR) process will be undertaken for the project in support of the application for authorisation. The proposed project includes the following: • The establishment of a 132kV collector substation (switching station) within the authorised Umsinde Emoyeni WEF site (adjacent to the WEF facility substation) with a footprint of approximately 100m X 80m (~0.8ha) to be located within an assessment footprint that encompasses a 300m radius. • The establishment of a 132kV collector substation (switching station) within the authorised Khangela Emoyeni WEF site (adjacent to the WEF facility substation) with a footprint of approximately 100m X 80m (~0.8ha) to be located within an assessment footprint that encompasses a 300m radius. • The establishment of a 132kV collector substation (switching station) within the authorised Ishwati Emoyeni WEF site (adjacent to the WEF facility substation) with a footprint of approximately 120m X 100m (~1.2 ha) with an assessment footprint that encompasses a 300m radius. • The establishment of a 132kV powerline within a 400m wide corridor that will extend from the Khangela switching station to the Ishwati switching station ( ~36 km), and then onward for ~25 km to the Eskom Gamma Substation. In addition, a further length of 132kV powerline (within a 400m wide corridor) will extend from the Umsinde switching station to the Khangela switching station for ~8km OR it may connect directly into the Khangela-Ishwati powerline at the Khangela switching station. An extended powerline development corridor of approximately 1,91 km2 has been assessed in the vicinity of the Gamma Substation, that will enable the 132kV powerline to connect to either the south face of the Gamma Substation yard or approach from the east. The 132kV Powerline from Umsinde to Khangela, and from Khangela to Ishwati and onward to Gamma Substation will be a single- or double-circuit powerline, with a single set of pylons structures with a maximum height of 35m Access/service tracks (jeep track) up to 7m wide and associated watercourse crossings will be associated with the powerline, and will be located within the assessed powerline corridor. • The establishment of a new access road approximately 14km long from the existing public road from Richmond to the authorised Ishwati Emoyeni on-site substation site. The proposed new access road will be unsealed and up to 12m wide during construction , but will be reduced to a maximum of 6 m width during operation. The proposed powerline routing that has been selected to evacuate power from the authorised Umsinde and Khangela Emoyeni WEFs is informed by the most feasible grid connection point into the national grid from a technical, economic and environmental perspective.