Department blocks floating power plant project at Richards Bay

The environment department has turned down an application to moor a floating, gas-fired power plant in the port of Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.

Anchor Energy LNG’s Nseleni power plant would have had the capability to produce 6.5GW of electricity, according to Groundwork, an environmental activist organisation.

“The proposed project is predicted to have a high negative impact on the estuarine environment,” the department said in its findings. “The department does not support any development in a high biodiversity sensitive area.”

The decision follows an earlier ruling that Karpowership could not moor floating power plants at Richards Bay, Mossel Bay and Saldanha Bay. The Turkish company appealed the ruling and is awaiting a decision.

South Africa, which suffers from intermittent power shortages, is seeking to boost electricity generation.  — (c) 2021 Bloomberg LP