ESKOM GROUP CAPITAL-LAND DEVELOPMENT
Final Study Area Identification and
Corridor/Site Selection REPORT
Solar Park Substation and Tx & Dx lines
Mfundo Maphanga & Sipho Shabalala
10/28/2011
This document is to report on the Corridor/Site Selection visit for the Solar Park Project near Upington, Northern Cape Province
1 Solar Park Route Selection Report
TABLE OF CONTENT PAGE NUMBER
1. Purpose of the Report 3
2. Background of the Project 3
3. Scope of Work 3
4. Location of the Sites/Study Area 4
5. Corridor and Site Selection Team 5
6. Corridor and Site Selection Approach 6
7. Corridor and Site Selection Findings 6
8. Conclusion 9
List of Tables
Table 1: Solar Park Scope of Work
Table 2: Route Selection Team
List of Figures
Figure 1: Proposed route alternatives from Solar Park SS to Ferrum SS
Figure 2: Proposed routes from Solar Park SS to Aries and Nieuwehoop SS
Figure 3: Mountains closer to Kethu
Figure 4: Sishen Mine near Ferrum SS
Figure 5: Residential Development around Sishen
Figure 6: Upington International Airport
Figure 7: Factory along the Solar Aries Route
Figure 8: Existing Dx line crossing the Orange River
Figure 9: grape farm along the Orange River
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1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
This report serves to give feedback on the outcome of the route selection site visit with a helicopter
organised by Land Development for the Solar Park Project in Upington.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
Eskom Generation applied for and Environmental Authorisation (EA) to the Department of
Environmental Affairs (DEA), the authorisation was granted on the 14th September 2007. Land
development was then requested to conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and
acquire servitude rights for the Solar Park substation and the associated transmission and
distribution lines. A site visit with Eskom stakeholders and Mr. Jeffrey Robile, the Programme
Director for the Solar Park /Corridor from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) took place on the 27th and
28th of June 2011. The purpose of the visit was to introduce the team and also to introduce the
project to the local authorities. This meeting was also to clarify the scope which then kick started
the Land Development process of inviting the environmental consultants to tender for the EIA
phase.
Five consultants were invited for a tender briefing on the 18 July 2011 in Megawatt Park. The
consultants were:
o Zitholele Consulting (Pty)LTD
o Eko Info CC
o Aurecon
o Savannah Environmental (Pty) LTD
o Bohlweki SSI
Only four out of the five tendered for the job. A tender evaluation was conducted and Zitholele
Consulting were subsequently awarded a contract. As part of the Land Development procedure a
corridor/site selection visit must take place before the commencement of the scoping phase.
Depending on the length of the line, a helicopter must be arranged to fly the route for clear
observation of sensitive areas. This report is to give feedback on the outcome of the corridor/site
selection visit that took place on the 18th to the 21st of October 2011.
3. SCOPE OF WORK
The scope of work as received by Land development is as follows:
TRANSMISSION SOW DISTRIBUTION SOW GENERATION SOW
• 400kV and 132kV Solar Park Tx Sub-Station.
• 5 x 500 MVA 400/132kV Transformer & Associated switchgear at Solar Park.
• 3 x 132kV lines- for the IPP’s
• 3x 132kV lines- for the CSP site & 2 x 20MVA Transformers @ CSP site
• 5 x 132kV for the DoE Solar Park
• 2 x 132kV line to
Conduct a public participation process to bring proposed amendment to the attention of I&AP’s as per chapter 6 of the regs.
Visual and Avifauna specialist studies be
3 Solar Park Route Selection Report
• 1x 400kV line from Solar Park to Nieuwehoop & Associated feeder bays.
• 2x 400kV line from Solar Park to Aries 400kV & associated feeder bays.
• 1x 400kV line from
Solar Park to Ferrum 400kV & associated feeder bays.
Gordonia (±25km)
submitted to DEA as part of the application process.
The applicant submits a layout plan that shows the conceptualised increased footprint of the amendment facility
Table 1: Solar Park Scope of Work
4. LOCATION OF THE SITES/STUDY AREA
The proposed site for the transmission substation is on the farm Olywenhoutsdrift, 15km South
West of Upington in the Northern Cape Province.
The 400kV line going to Ferrum Substation runs from Olywenshoutsdrift then travels around
Upington, passing the Upington International Airport. The line then runs straight to the North
Easterly direction passing Pearson’s Hunt, Dibeng into Kathu, where the Ferrum substation is
located. The line is approximately 235km in length.
Figure 1: Proposed route alternatives from Solar Park SS to Ferrum SS
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The 400kV line going to Nieuwehoop Substation starts from farm Olywenhoutsdrift, where the
proposed Solar Park Substation is proposed to be, the moves south easterly immediately crossing
the Orange River. The line continues in a relatively straight line, passing Louisvale for about 70km to
Nieuwehoop Substation.
The two 400kV lines going to Aries Substation start from farm Olywenhoutsdrift, where the
proposed Solar Park Substation is proposed to be, then runs South West, parallel to the existing
132kV line going to Oasis Distribution Substation. The line then turns south to Aries Substation
crossing the Orange River between Kakamas and Loxtonvale. The line is approximately 170km in
length.
Figure 2: Proposed routes from Solar Park SS to Aries and Nieuwehoop SS
5. CORRIDOR AND SITE SELECTION TEAM
The corridor and site selection took place on the 18th of October 2011 to 21st October 2011. This visit
was delayed due to the unavailability of a helicopter. The site selection team members that
participated in the fly over ware:
NAMES DESIGNATION COMPANY
Mfundo Maphanga Environmental Advisor Eskom: Group Capital Division –Land development
Sipho Shabalala Senior Advisor-Survey Eskom: Group Capital Division –Land development
Vhuhwavho Munyai
Electrical Engineer
Eskom: Group Technology Division- Line Engineering Service
Konrad Krüger Environmental Assessment Practitioner
Zitholele Consulting
Mark Nichols Chief Pilot Eskom Aviation
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Table 2: Route Selection Team
6. CORRIDOR AND SITE SELECTION APPROACH
The general approach was to fly the whole length of the transmission lines starting from where the
proposed Solar Substation will be (farm Olywenhoutsdrift) to various substations (Ferrum, Aries and
Nieuwehoop ss). The idea was look for sensitive areas like wetlands/watercourses, mountains,
railway crossings, road crossings, electrical line crossings, game farms, mines, protected trees,
eroded areas and residential/developed areas that might be subject to relocation where deviations
are not practical.
7. CORRIDOR AND SITE SELECTION FINDINGS
The study area is relatively flat with farming activities, particularly along the Orange River. There are
a few electrical lines and railway crossings along the corridors. Very few residential developments
will be affected by the proposed lines; relocations can be expected on this project.
The 400kV line going to Ferrum crosses a railway line and the N10 road, around the Upington
International Airport, it may be necessary to communicate with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for
obstacle applications and other regulatory requirements. The landscape is flat with a few loos soils,
bush trees and water tanks for the farm livestock. A few wild animals including wildebeest and
springboks were identified which may suggest that there might be game farms. There are
mountainous areas as the line approaches Kethu. The Sishen mine might also be on obstacle due to
blasting activities. It was also observed that the mine is expanding as new roads were constructed
during the visit, however there were transmission lines around the mine that the Solar Ferrum line
can run parallel to. There were also a few residential developments around Kethu and the Sishen
mine that might create a challenge as the line connects to Ferrum substation which is very close to
this development. There were also construction activities inside and around Ferrum substation.
6 Solar Park Route Selection Report
Figure 3: Mountains closer to Kethu
Figure 4: Sishen Mine near Ferrum SS
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Figure 5: Residential Development around Sishen Figure 6: Upington Intenational Airport
The 400kV lines going to Aries follows the existing 132kV line to Oasis Subsation, the line passes an
industrial area before crossing the Orange River. Along the river there are grape farms. The width of
the river is approximately 350m and the width of the river including the riperian zone and the grape
farms around it is approximately 3km. In some sections the river is split in two sections providing an
island inbetween. The line engeneer confirmed that it is possible to put a tower on these islands to
avoid having it in the wetland area. A water use licence will have to be applied for for the crossings.
After the river crossing, the landscape is reletively flat passing a few koppies (little mountains).
There are a few protected trees scattered along the corridor, a permit will be required to remove
such trees, should the need arises. Beside the grape farming along the river, the landuse is mostly
sheep farming.
The 400kV line going to Nieuwehoop also crosses the Orange River and therefore a Water Use
Licence is required. The natural environment for the Solar Nieuwehoop line is more or less the same
as the one for the Solar Aries lines, discribed above.
Figure 7: Factory along the Solar Aries Route
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Figure 8: Existing Dx line crossing the Orange River Figure 9: grape farm along the Orange River
From the negotiation perspective, the properties that fall withing the
study area are huge, there is not much plantation that will require any
clearence beside the area along the Orange River. The landuse is
mostly grazing and game farming. Relocation issues may arise around
the Sishen mine, near Khethu.
From the line design pespective, the route is reletively straight with a few
crossing, the major ones being the railway and the Orange River Crossings, it can be entacipated that
some towers are going to be in the wetland.
From the environmental pespective, a water use licence will be
required, there is also a possibility that the removal of certain
trees may require a permit. Huge bird nests were also spoted on
towers and masts in the area. Because of the flat landscape the
line may have visual impacts.
8. CONCLUSION
The helicoper flyover provided valuable information which influenced the alignment of the proposed
corridor/route. The issues identified during the site visit will also contribute during the scoping phase
in identifying sensetive areas and which specialist studies are required. The public participation
process is enticipated to take long because of the large area that must be covered. Because of the
flat surface and large properties, the construction phase is expected to be reletively quick.