A proposed 175 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) facility, incorporating a 600 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) near Carletonville, Gauteng, has entered environmental review.
Solani Renewables has made the environmental impact assessment report for the proposed Merafong Hybrid Facility 2 available for public comment from until September 21, according to the project notice.
The project would be on a site of approximately 269 ha, about 12 km east of Carletonville and adjacent to the R501 in Merafong City Local Municipality.
According to the project’s background information document, the facility would comprise solar PV arrays, inverters, transformers and a 600 MWh BESS. The proposed generation capacity is described as a contracted capacity of up to 175 MW.
Electricity would be evacuated through an approximately 6,5 km, 132 kV overhead power line connecting the facility to Eskom’s Midas Main Transmission Substation southeast of the project site.
Associated electrical infrastructure would include a 33/132 kV on-site substation, an independent power producer substation, an Eskom switching station and underground or overhead cabling between the substations and switching station.
Solani intends to bid the project under the Department of Electricity and Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme or similar, according to the document. Alternatively, the document states, electricity generated by the facility may be sold to private offtakers or supplied to the national grid, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals and commercial arrangements.
The development requires environmental authorisation before implementation. The assessment will include terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, avifauna, agricultural potential, heritage, visual, social and traffic studies.
Interested and affected parties may register and submit comments to Savannah Environmental by September 21.
