Karpowership SA has withdrawn an environmental impact assessment report for its proposed Saldanha Bay project, which forms part of its application for environmental authorisation.

Given the withdrawal of this document, its application for environmental authorisation has lapsed, according to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE).

News24 previously reported that the DFFE had dismissed allegations made by environmental justice group The Green Connection, that there was noncompliance in a public participation process for the project. The Green Connection had issued a complaint to the DFFE that Karpowership used the views of aquaculture and commercial producers to represent those of small-scale fisheries.

But following an investigation, the DFFE "could not find any evidence to support the allegations" and subsequently dismissed them.

The DFFE said that it was prepared to continue considering the application, but Karpowership's environmental assessment practitioner, Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions, withdrew the environmental impact assessment report.

A Karpowership spokesperson confirmed the decision.

The company withdrew because it did not submit a generic Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) document for the Saldanha application.

Karpowership anticipates that, similar to its proposed plant at the Port of Ngqura within the Coega Special Economic Zone, it would be required to submit this document.

It did not do this for the 450MW plant in Coega, and its environmental authorisation for this project was denied.

"Out of an abundance of caution and based on the Coega Record of Refusal, Karpowership may be required to submit the pre-approved generic EMPr for Saldanha Bay as well," a spokesperson said.

Karpowership has since submitted an appeal for the decision on the Coega project and has requested an extension or condonation – in terms of section 47(c) of the National Environmental Management Act – to allow it to submit the generic EMPr.

Subsequently, the Saldanha Bay environmental impact assessment report was withdrawn to allow the department to process the condonation application for the Coega project.

"This S47c application if approved will allow the submission of a pre-approved generic EMPr following a 30-day public consultation process on the document," Karpowership's spokesperson said.

Commenting on the withdrawal and subsequent lapsing of the application process, Liz McDaid, strategic lead at The Green Connection, said that Karpowership is "not the right solution" for the energy crisis.

McDaid said:

We hope we can focus on appropriate solutions for the energy crisis, and support the fishers with their livelihoods.

Karpowership was named a preferred bidder in government's emergency procurement programme which launched in 2020. Its three projects – to be located at Saldanha Bay, Richard's Bay and the Port of Ngqura – were to provide the bulk or 1 220 MW out of 2 000 MW to be procured.

However, the projects hit several hurdles, among these being that environmental authorisation was initially denied due to issues with its public consultation process.

It was granted another chance to submit its environmental impact assessment reports for the projects following new rounds of public consultations that took place last year.

Similar to the other two projects, which are experiencing delays over technicalities, Karpowership had withdrawn the environmental impact assessment report for Richards Bay so that it would comply with, or meet regulatory requirements.