Page 16 - DMEA Week 26 2021

DMEA TERMINALS & SHIPPING DMEA

DFFE rejects Karpowership’s

applications for LNG-to-power projects

AFRICA SOUTH Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fish- regasification units (FSRUs) and powerships in
eries and the Environment (DFFE) has decided each port. (The powerships were to have a com-
against giving Karpowership (Turkey) per- bined generating capacity of 1,220 MW.)
mission to go ahead with three LNG-to-power DMRE selected Karpowership within the
projects. framework of an emergency effort to alleviate
DFFE announced its decision in a statement South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages. This
dated June 24. “The competent authority in the effort, known as the risk mitigation independent
department has decided, after due consideration power producers programme, was designed to
of all relevant information presented as part of make another 2,000 MW of generating capacity
the environmental impact assessment process available within a short period of time. However,
for all three applications in question, to refuse DFFE’s ruling may prevent the Turkish company
the applications for the environmental author- from meeting its obligation as a preferred bidder
isations,” it said. to wrap up agreements by the end of July.
It explained the ruling by saying that Karpow- A spokesperson for Karpowership told Reu-
ership had not yet the time to assess the environ- ters last week that her company intended to
mental impact of the projects. appeal DFFE’s decision.
The Turkish company began seeking envi- She also asserted that Karpowership had
ronmental approvals for the establishment of been the target of a “misinformation campaign”
LNG-to-power facilities in the ports of Coega, that raised undue concern about the risks of the
Richards Bay and Saldanha last October, when LNG-to-power projects.
it was chosen by the Department of Mineral “Karpowership SA conducted a robust pub-
Resources and Energy (DMRE) to execute pro- lic participation process, met all South Africa’s
jects at these three sites. stringent environmental requirements and
In its applications, it outlined plans is confident that it will win the appeal,” she
for anchoring paired floating storage and declared.™

P16 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 26 01•July•2021