Minister Creecy announces decision on Eskom application for exemption to amend its atmospheric emission licence
15 March 2023
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, has announced that Eskom has been granted an exemption from the lengthy process required to amend its Atmospheric Emission License, subject to certain strict conditions.
The exemption in terms of Section 59 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (NEMAQA) was granted on 14 March 2023 in response to an application the Minister had received in relation to the Kusile Power Station. The application had been brought due to the urgent need to alleviate the electricity crisis in the country.
“Eskom’s request pertains to a temporary solution to restore lost generation capacity at its Kusile Power Station while a damaged stack undergoes repairs which are due for completion in December 2024. In the interim, Eskom plans to construct the temporary stacks by November 2023, which it anticipates will allow the resumption of generation capacity of 2100MW which will reduce the country’s exposure to load shedding by two levels,” said the Minister.
The temporary solution proposed for Kusile envisages that Eskom will operate the temporary stacks without the use of the Flue Gas Delsuphurisation mechanism for a period of 13 months. This is likely to result in increased sulphur dioxide emissions during this period, in excess of the current applicable limit contained in Kusile’s Atmospheric Emission License.