The Coega Development Corporation has been awarded a key permit from the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment which will allow it to push forward with three projects centred on energy, aquaculture and water.
The corporation’s sustainability business unit environmental project manager, Andrea von Holdt, said the acquisition of a coastal waters discharge permit was great news.
“It enables us to move forward with our proposed coastal-dependant industries — two 1,000 megawatt liquefied natural gas power stations, a land-based aquaculture development zone, and a desalination plant with maximum capacity of 60 megalitres per day.”
She said the awarding of the permit flowed from an overarching environmental impact assessment, approved in 2021, which considered the extraction of seawater and discharge of treated effluent, the process that would underpin the three projects.
“Environmental best practice would be to find alternative ways to treat effluent and this is something we strive towards.
“While discharge into the ocean is not ideal, the coastal waters discharge permit was a prerequisite to moving forward with future developments.
“The fact that the permit was granted to the Coega Development Corporation is a major achievement, as we have been trusted to adhere to very strict conditions.
“The corporation is committed to effective environmental management, to ensure that the integrity of the adjacent Addo Marine Protected Area is maintained.”
Von Holdt said an environmental impact assessment for the two liquefied natural gas power stations was under way.
The planned installations would consist of all infrastructure required for the operation of the corporation’s proposed gas-to power-plants in the Coega special economic zone.
“This will be made up specifically of infrastructure for the import, storage and transmission of liquefied natural gas via the Port of Ngqura to the various power plants, and seawater for cooling of the Zone 10 power plants, should they be seawater cooled.
“Additional capacity to supply liquefied natural gas to third parties, including the Dedisa Peaking Power Plant, should this be converted to gas, will also be included.”
She said in the context of the Nelson Mandela Bay water crisis, the coastal waters discharge permit was greatly welcomed because it would facilitate the development of the Coega desalination plant.
“In addition to supplying Nelson Mandela Bay with drinking water, the future plant is expected to add a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
Wildlife and Environment Society Algoa Bay chair and Algoa Bay Ocean Stewards spokesperson Gary Koekemoer said the hope was that the corporation would go beyond the concerning general discharge authorisation legislation published by the government in July.
“The legislation stipulates four water quality checks the first year and if everything is all right and compliant then just two checks thereafter.
“This is not regular enough to pick up any problems and prevent damage before it occurs.”
He said the legislation also did not stipulate when the readings should take place.
“So if there is a bad reading this week the people doing the checks can simply go back after two weeks and take it again.
“This sets up a ‘sweetheart system’.
“It would have been better to stipulate every fortnight on the same day and then you can track a trend.”
He said the legislation also relied on the good faith of the operator and included no oversight by the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment.
“So we are encouraging the Coega Development Corporation to undertake more active management of their permit.
“That would include doing more regular water-quality checks at their discharge points and making their findings public on each occasion.”
HeraldLIVE
Coega permit clears way for energy, aquaculture and desalination projects
Image: SUPPLIED
The Coega Development Corporation has been awarded a key permit from the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment which will allow it to push forward with three projects centred on energy, aquaculture and water.
The corporation’s sustainability business unit environmental project manager, Andrea von Holdt, said the acquisition of a coastal waters discharge permit was great news.
“It enables us to move forward with our proposed coastal-dependant industries — two 1,000 megawatt liquefied natural gas power stations, a land-based aquaculture development zone, and a desalination plant with maximum capacity of 60 megalitres per day.”
She said the awarding of the permit flowed from an overarching environmental impact assessment, approved in 2021, which considered the extraction of seawater and discharge of treated effluent, the process that would underpin the three projects.
“Environmental best practice would be to find alternative ways to treat effluent and this is something we strive towards.
“While discharge into the ocean is not ideal, the coastal waters discharge permit was a prerequisite to moving forward with future developments.
“The fact that the permit was granted to the Coega Development Corporation is a major achievement, as we have been trusted to adhere to very strict conditions.
“The corporation is committed to effective environmental management, to ensure that the integrity of the adjacent Addo Marine Protected Area is maintained.”
Von Holdt said an environmental impact assessment for the two liquefied natural gas power stations was under way.
The planned installations would consist of all infrastructure required for the operation of the corporation’s proposed gas-to power-plants in the Coega special economic zone.
“This will be made up specifically of infrastructure for the import, storage and transmission of liquefied natural gas via the Port of Ngqura to the various power plants, and seawater for cooling of the Zone 10 power plants, should they be seawater cooled.
“Additional capacity to supply liquefied natural gas to third parties, including the Dedisa Peaking Power Plant, should this be converted to gas, will also be included.”
She said in the context of the Nelson Mandela Bay water crisis, the coastal waters discharge permit was greatly welcomed because it would facilitate the development of the Coega desalination plant.
“In addition to supplying Nelson Mandela Bay with drinking water, the future plant is expected to add a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
Wildlife and Environment Society Algoa Bay chair and Algoa Bay Ocean Stewards spokesperson Gary Koekemoer said the hope was that the corporation would go beyond the concerning general discharge authorisation legislation published by the government in July.
“The legislation stipulates four water quality checks the first year and if everything is all right and compliant then just two checks thereafter.
“This is not regular enough to pick up any problems and prevent damage before it occurs.”
He said the legislation also did not stipulate when the readings should take place.
“So if there is a bad reading this week the people doing the checks can simply go back after two weeks and take it again.
“This sets up a ‘sweetheart system’.
“It would have been better to stipulate every fortnight on the same day and then you can track a trend.”
He said the legislation also relied on the good faith of the operator and included no oversight by the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment.
“So we are encouraging the Coega Development Corporation to undertake more active management of their permit.
“That would include doing more regular water-quality checks at their discharge points and making their findings public on each occasion.”
HeraldLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Latest Videos
Most Read
News
News
News
News
News