Phakama East BESS- Phakama East Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Registration Process & Associated Infrastructure, near Excelsior in the Free State Province

Phakama East BESS Facility (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of JUWI Renewable Energies (Pty) Ltd (JUWI), is proposing to develop a stand-alone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility and its associated infrastructure within the Mantsopa Local Municipality of the Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality, Free State Province.

The overall objective of the Phakama East BESS is to store and evacuate power (as needed) to the national grid which will be procured through the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme Bid Window 3 (BESIPPPP BW 3). This will aid in the diversification and stabilisation of the country’s electricity supply, which is in line with the objectives of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan 2019 (IRP).

The proposed development requires the BESS to be registered with the competent authority, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in terms of Government Notice (GN) 4557 – Norm for the Exclusion of Identified Activities Associated with the Development and Expansion of Battery Storage Facilities in Areas of Low or Medium Environmental Sensitivity.

GN 4557 (March 2024) has been prepared to provide rules for activities associated with the development and expansion of battery storage facilities. These activities are identified under Section 24(2)(a) and (b) of the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) (NEMA). They are also contained in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations Listing Notice 1, 2 or 3 of 2014, promulgated under Section 24(5) of NEMA. These activities are excluded from the requirement to obtain environmental authorisation (EA) prior to commencement, while still meeting the objectives of NEMA

In accordance with GN 4557 (March 2024), a site sensitivity verification (SSV) must be undertaken to confirm the current land use and environmental sensitivity of the proposed Phakama East BESS project area as identified by the National Web-Based Environmental Screening Tool (Screening Tool).

Further to GN 4557, additional Archaeological and Cultural Heritage, and Palaeontological assessments were commissioned and conducted to meet the requirements of Section 38 of the National Heritage Resources Act No. 25 of 1999 (NHRA).

SLR Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SLR) has been appointed as the Independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to compile a collated Site Sensitivity Verification Report (SSVR), considering specialist findings, to obtain EA.

Status

In accordance with GN 4557 (March 2024), a site sensitivity verification (SSV) has been undertaken to confirm the current land use and environmental sensitivity of the proposed Phakama East BESS. Additional Archaeological and Cultural Heritage, and Palaeontological assessments were commissioned and conducted to meet the requirements of Section 38 of the National Heritage Resources Act No. 25 of 1999 (NHRA).

The documents are available for public comment from 10 September 2024- 25 September 2024

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