SOLA- Naos Solar PV Projects and associated infrastructure, Free State

The DFFE approved the Naos Solar PV Project One, Naos Solar PV Project Two, and Naos Solar PV Project Three with Reference Numbers: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2698, 14/12/16/3/3/1/2705, and 14/12/16/3/3/1/2707, respectively, in May 2023. The projects are located near Viljoenskroon in the Moqhaka Local Municipality, Fezile Dabi District Municipality, Free State Province.

SOLA Assets (Pty) Ltd on behalf of the applicants SPV (which is wholly owned by SOLA Assets), wishes to amend the layout and update the EMPr of each Solar PV facilities and therefore needs to undertake a Part 2 Amendment Process for each project.

The projects can be described as follows:

1.) Part 2 Environmental Authorisation Amendment Process for Naos Solar PV Project One: (SPV- Naos Solar PV Project One (RF) (Pty) Ltd)

The proposed development of an up to 300 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) energy facility and associated infrastructure on Portion 1 of Farm Waterford Number 573 near Viljoenskroon, Free State.

2.) Part 2 Environmental Authorisation Amendment Process for Naos Solar PV Project Two: (SPV-Naos Solar PV Project Three (RF) (Pty) Ltd)

The proposed development of an up to 200 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) energy facility and associated infrastructure on Portion 2 of the Farm Waterford Number 573 near Viljoenskroon, Free State.

3.) Part 2 Environmental Authorisation Amendment Process for Naos Solar PV Project Three: (SPV- Naos Solar PV Project Three (RF) (Pty) Ltd)

The proposed development of an up to 240 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) energy facility and associated infrastructure on the Remaining Extent of the Farm Cijfervlei 6 and Portion 1 of the Farm La Reys Kraal Zuid 165.

Additional infrastructure is required to support the Naos Solar PV projects, namely an up to 400 kV grid connection to the existing Mercury Main Transmission Substation (MTS), stormwater diversion channel, and new site access road.

The above infrastructure is not authorised in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998, NEMA) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (2014) in, and therefore a separate Basic Assessment (BA) Process and associated specialist studies is required before the project may commence

4.) Basic Assessment Process for Naos 400 kV Grid Connection, Stormwater Diversion Channel and Access Road upgrades

• Grid Connection: An up to 400 kV powerline with a 55 m servitude and associated maintenance road.
• Stormwater Diversion Channel: The channel will run in a south-east direction, across the property. The channel needs to be assessed for 100 m on either side of the centre line and will have up to 30 m width.
• New access roads: The proposed access roads will service Naos Solar PV Project One, Naos Solar PV Project Two, and Naos Solar PV Project Three.

SOLA Assets (Pty) Ltd appointed SLR Consulting (South Africa) Pty Ltd as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake the required Part 2 Amendment and Basic Assessment Processes for the proposed projects.

Status

Notice is hereby given, in terms of the EIA Regulations, 2014 promulgated under NEMA, that the Amendments Reports and Final Basic Assessment Report prepared for the above-mentioned projects were submitted to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) for decision.

The reports are available for download below for information purposes.