PEGASUS - UMFOLOZI
400 KV TRANSMISSION LINE
Environmental Impact Assessment
INFORMATION DOCUMENT
Aim of this document
In accordance with Section 21 of the Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 the activity of constructing an electric Transmission line is classified as a listed activity, which requires Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before being undertaken and the involvement of Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) within the area.
To make sure that all Key Stakeholders are involved in the impact assessment process, this Information Document is sent to all I&APs with the aim of:
- Introducing Interested and Affected Parties to the proposed project.
- Highlighting generic issues and concerns associated with Transmission line projects; and
- Soliciting and receiving further comments and issues to be addressed by the study.
Public Participation Office and return address for comments and enquiries:
Procon Environmental Technologies (Pty) Ltd
P.O. Box 4243
Witbank, 1035
Contact Persons: Moses Mahlangu or Gail Wilkins
Tel: (013) 697 4617 or (013) 697 4634
Fax: (013) 697 4618
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site Address: www.eskom.co.za/pegasus.htm
Main Report
Contents
Background
Environmental Impact Assessment Process
Generic Issues Applicable to Transmssion lines
Map Indicating the Study Area
EIA Process relevant to this study
The Consultation and Stakeholder Participation Process
Key Stakeholder Groups
Zulu insert of Information
Background
Richards Bay and its surrounds continue to show significant growth as an industrial centre in South Africa. Eskom Transmission regularly reviews the predictions on energy demand growth and developments could place greater stress on the existing electricity network. To support this growing demand, Eskom Transmission has decided to both improve the reliability of the existing network and upgrade its capacity. To achieve these objectives, additional Transmission lines are required.
An Environmental Impact Assessment has recently been completed for a Transmission line between Umfolozi Sub-station (near Ulundi) and Athene Sub-station at Empangeni. Notwithstanding this additional line, recently proposed industrial developments in the Richards Bay area will result in a greater demand being placed on the electricity grid. Therefore, a new 400 kV Transmission line between Pegasus Sub-station (near Dundee) and the Umfolozi Sub-station (near Ulundi) is being proposed to address this increased demand. Various alternative routes will be identified during the Scoping Phase.
Environmental impact assessment process
In line with environmental legislation, Eskom Transmission has appointed a consortium of independent consultants to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed project. Procon Environmental Technologies (Pty) Ltd, the principal consultant, with PBA International Ltd responsible for the technical specialist studies and Afrosearch assisting with the Public Participation Process. The relevant provincial authority is the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAEA).
As part of the pre-consultation phase, discussions were held with the DAEA and an environmental lawyer to adopt a process that would address any potential concerns of the EIA process that is being conducted under tight time frames. The agreed process is clearly illustrated overleaf and stakeholders are requested to participate in the EIA process.
Generic issues applicable to Transmission Lines
ECONOMIC
- National & Provincial Support
- Local Benefits
- Local Opportunities
- Tariffs
- Job Creation
- Tourism
WELL BEING
- Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
- Safety of Personnel and fire-fighters
- Dust
- Noise
- HIV/AIDS
- Use of creosote poles
- International testing & norms
- Fire
AESTHETICS
- Visual Impacts
- Loss of sense of place
SOCIAL
- Immigration of construction workers
- Relocation of people
- Construction camps
LAND ISSUES
- Compensation
- Property value reduction
FARMING RELATED ISSUES
- Access to properties
- Access roads
- Loss of agricultural potential
- Season for construction activities
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
- Erosion
- Impact on fauna
- Impact on avifauna
- Importation of alien vegetation
- Impact of herbicides
- Impact on conservation areas
- Poaching of fauna and flora
- Impact of construction camps
- Opportunities for ecological corridors
CULTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
- Palaeontological sites
- Cultural and historical sites
ALTERNATIVES
- Strategic considerations
- Alternative sources of power generation
- Alternative alignments
- Design alternatives
Environmental Impact Assessment Process Relevant to this study
The Independent Environmental Consultant Team has extensive experience on Transmission line projects. This has enabled them to "package" for stakeholders, a first order of understanding of generic issues and concerns related to the construction of Transmission lines. For your convenience, these have been listed in this document. However, this list is by no means exhaustive and the team would value your input and understanding of local issues.
(Please list these on the form provided herewith)
.
Based on the above, it has been agreed that the Scoping Phase and the EIA phase will run concurrently. The consultation process that has been designed for this project in the public domain allows for stakeholders to actively comment on documents and reports at key milestones and interact with the Study Team throughout the process.
The Consultation and Stakeholder Praticipation Process
A great deal of responsibility will be placed on stakeholders to constructively participate and react timeously to deadlines. Various mechanisms have been set in place to give effect to this. These include:
- Making available the Plan of Study for Scoping and the DRAFT Plan of Study for EIA to Key Stakeholder Groups.
- Workshops in the Study Area where Key Stakeholders and directly affected landowners can interact with the Study Team.
- A comment and response document will evolve into the Environmental Impact Report and will integrate all issues raised during the consultation process. Importantly, the robustness of this document will depend on an interactive relationship between the Study Team and the stakeholders.
- Providing capacity building throughout the process to stakeholders to enable a meaningful contribution.
Key Stakeholders
Key Stakeholders to be consulted during the Public Participation Process will mainly be in the following groupings:
- National, Provincial and Local Government
- Non Governmental Organisations
- Business and Industry
- Agricultural Organisations
- Tourism
- Political Organisations
- Environmental Organisations
- Landowners
- AmaKhosi and Tribal Authorities
UMQULU WOKWAZISA
INHLOSO YALOMBHALO
Njengokuphathelene neSigatshana 21 soMthetho wokongiwa kweMvelo ka 1989 umsebenzi wokwakha umzila wokudlulisela ugezi uhlelwe ngaphansi kohlu lwemisebenzi edinga uphenyo ngemiphumela kwindawo ngaphambi kokuba kuqhutshekwe ngawo. Ukumbandakanya bonke abathintekayo nabanentshisakalo kwindawo okuzokwenziwa kuyo umsebenzi yinto ebalulekile.
Ukuqiniseka ukuthi bonke abathintekayo, bathola ithuba lokuzimbandakanya naloluphenyo, kukhishwe lomqulu ngenhloso:
- Yokwethula zonke izinxenye zomphakathi ezithintekayo kulomsenzi onqunyiwe.
- Yokugqamisa amaphuzu akhathalelwayo mayelana nolayini kagezi.
- Yokucela nokwamukela okunye ukuphawula nokukhathalela okudinga ukunakwa kuloluphenyo.
Ihhovisi labaphathelene nokumbandakanywa komphakathi kanye nekheli lokuxhumana:
Procon Environmental Technologies (Pty) Ltd
P.O. Box 4243
Witbank, 1035
Ongathintana nabo:
Moses Mahlangu or Gail Wilkins
Tel: (013) 697 4617 or
(013) 697 4634
Fax: (013) 697 4618
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site Address:
www.eskom.co.za/pegasus.htm
ISENDLALELO
I-Richards Bay kanye namaphethelo isaloku iqhubeke njalo ukukhombisa ukuba umongo wokukhula kwezimboni kwelase Ningizimu Afrika. Ekubuyekezeni izidingo zikagezi u-Eskom Transmission ubone ukuthi ukuphakelwa kukagezi kulendawo kungahle kube ngaphansi kwengcindezelo enkulu. Ngakho-ke u-Eskom Transmission useqoke ukwenza ngcono ukuphakelwa kukagezi kulendawo ngokuthi angeze olayini abaphakela ugezi.
Ukuhlowa komonakalo kwezemvelo ongahle ubekhona uma kwakhiwa ulayini kagezi maphakathi ne-Umfolozi Sub-station (Maduze nasoNdini) kanye ne-Athene Sub-station ese-Empangeni sekuphothuliwe. U-Eskom Transmission usehlongoza ukufaka omunye ulayini onamandla angu 400 kV maphakathi ne-Umfolozi Sub-station kanye ne Pegasus Sub-station eseduze kwe Dandi. (Indowo ezohlolwa iboniswe kubalazwe).
UHLELO LOKUHLOLWA KOKUPHAZAMISEKA KWEMVELO ISENDLALELO
Ngokuhambisana nomthetho wezemvelo u-Eskom Transmission uqoke abakwa-Procon Environmental Technologies (Pty) Ltd ukuba bahole iqembu lochwepheshe abazokwenza loluphenyo lokuphazamiseka kwemvelo. Umnyango Wezolimo Nezemvelo kuhulumeni waKwaZulu-Natal yiwona ozokhipha isinqumo ngophenyo.
Inqubo ezolandelwa kulephenyo ekuvunyelenwe ngayo nohulumeni iboniswe ngaphansi kwesihloko Public Participation Process kanti amaphuzu avame ukukhathalelwa nokuba yinkinga uma kukhulunywa ngolayini kagezi abhalwe ngaphansi kwesihloko Generic Issues Applicable to Transmission Lines. Imibono yakho njengomuntu owazi indawo noma-ke ukuphawula kwakho ngokuqukethwe yilombhalo Wokwazisa kuyoba lusizo kuloluphenyo. (Ungathumela imivo/imibono ngoku gcwalisa iphepha lemibuzo elinikeziwe)
Abantu noma izinhlangano okuzoxoxisanwa nazo eziyizikhonkwane mayelana nalendaba ikakhulukazi yilezo ezibhalwe ngaphansi kwesihloko Key Stakeholder Groups.
OKUQUKETHWE/CONTENTS
- Isendlalelo
- Uhlelo Lokuhlolwa Kokuphazamiseka Kwemvelo
- Public Participation Process
- Generic Issues Applicable to Transmission lines
- Map Indicating the Study Area
- EIA Process relevant to this Study
- The Consultation and Stakeholder Participation Process
- Key Stakeholder Groups