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

2 Solar Park Route Selection Report

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

4 Solar Park Route Selection Report

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

5 Solar Park Route Selection Report

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

7 Solar Park Route Selection Report

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

8 Solar Park Route Selection Report

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.