Red Sands GIP Basic Assessment Report

AGV Projects (Pty) Ltd (AGV) has appointed OMI Solutions (Pty) Ltd (OMI) as the Independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner to conduct the Environmental Authorisation (EA) application process in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998, as amended) Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 (as amended) for the proposed development of grid infrastructure to connect the Red Sands Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility to the national grid (“the Project”). The Project is located approximately 22 km north-east of Groblershoop and is accessible via existing gravel roads from the N8.

The Project will include grid infrastructure that will be handed over to Eskom, primarily consisting of:

  • A 132 kilovolt (kV) Eskom Switching Substation adjacent to the Independent Power Producer Substation;
  • A proposed 400 / 132 kV Main Transmission Substation (MTS);
  • A 132 kV overhead powerline (OHL) of approximately 10,5 km from the Eskom Switching Substation to the proposed 400 / 132 kV MTS;
  • Loop in and out (LILO) of the Ferrum – Nieuwehoop 400 kV OHL;
  • Loop in of the Garona – Groblershoop 132 kV OHL (including upgrade capacity of the existing 132 kV OHL section and an additional 132 kV OHL of approximately 850 m from the proposed MTS to the existing Eskom Garona MTS); and
  • Access and maintenance roads, including upgrades to existing roads to allow for larger component transport.

A pre-negotiated powerline route corridor of approximately 250 m wide, including a buffer around the Eskom Garona MTS and the proposed 400 / 132 kV MTS, has been identified based on the identified environmental sensitivities in consultation with the landowners. The infrastructure will be routed within the assessed and authorised powerline route corridor to allow flexibility during the detailed design phase. A powerline servitude of up to 36 m for the 132 kV OHLs and 55 m for the 400 kV LILO OHLs will be partially cleared and maintained during operation for safety, regulatory and maintenance reasons.

The proposed Project is part of the yet to be developed Red Sands solar photovoltaic facility and associated infrastructure (including a BESS) which was granted an EA by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) on 11 August 2022 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514) and amended on 05 May 2023 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM1) and 1 July 2024 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM2), respectively. The Project was awarded Preferred Bidder status in the first bid submission phase of South Africa’s Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme and Strategic Integrated Project status in terms of the Infrastructure Development Act No. 23 of 2014.

The Project occurs within the Renewable Energy Development Zone 7 (Upington) and must therefore comply with Government Notice (GN) 145 of 26 February 2021, and GN 113 of 16 February 2018 (as amended in GN 2716 of 2 November 2022). The proposed Project is thus subject to a Basic Assessment process.

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