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Bat Specialist Screening Study of the 2Nd 765 Kv Kappa – Sterrekus Powerline

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Bat Specialist Screening Study of the 2Nd 765 Kv Kappa – Sterrekus Powerline Bat Specialist Screening Study of the 2nd 765 kV Kappa – Sterrekus Powerline Prepared for Eskom Holdings SOC Prepared by 2021-05-17 Kappa- Sterrekus Powerline Specialist Screening Report: Bats Page ii Bat Specialist Screening Study of the 2nd 765 kV Kappa – Sterrekus Powerline Date 2021-05-17 Authors Reviewers Miguel Mascarenhas Joana Santos Craig Campbell Technical Coordination Helena Coelho Joana Santos Joao Paula Miguel Mascarenhas Kappa- Sterrekus Powerline Specialist Screening Report: Bats Page iii Table of Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment for Power Corridors ..................................................... 3 1.2 Objectives of the Bat Screening Report .............................................................................................. 3 1.3 Terms of Reference for Bat Study ...................................................................................................... 4 2 Project Description ....................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Corridor Alignments ............................................................................................................................ 6 3 Approach and Methodology ........................................................................................ 7 4 Baseline Characteristics of the Project Area ........................................................... 11 4.1 Regional Overview ............................................................................................................................ 11 4.2 Central A Alignment .......................................................................................................................... 12 4.3 Central B Alignment .......................................................................................................................... 12 4.4 Southern Alignment........................................................................................................................... 13 5 Bat Sensitivity ............................................................................................................. 14 5.1 Central A Alignment .......................................................................................................................... 18 5.2 Central B Alignment .......................................................................................................................... 20 5.3 Southern Alignment........................................................................................................................... 22 5.4 Site Selection Matrix ......................................................................................................................... 24 6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 26 7 References .................................................................................................................. 27 Appendices Appendix A Specialist CV Appendix B Declaration of Independence Kappa- Sterrekus Powerline Specialist Screening Report: Bats Page iv List of Tables Table 1: List of species with possible occurrence and associated habitats in the proposed powerline sub- corridor alignment alternatives. .................................................................................................... 7 Table 2: Sensitivity features identified and motivation for their inclusion, for the project site. ................... 9 Table 3: Sensitivity features identified, with proposed mitigation measures, for the project site ............. 14 Table 4: Site Selection Matrix for the 3 powerline corridor alternatives. .................................................. 24 List of Figures Figure 1: Powerline sub-corridor alignment alternatives ............................................................................. 2 Figure 2: Bat features associated with the proposed powerline corridor alternatives. .............................. 12 Figure 3: Overlap of proposed powerline alignment corridors with existing powerline infrastructure. ...... 17 Figure 4: Bat sensitivity defined for the Central A Alignment. ................................................................... 19 Figure 5: Bat sensitivity defined for the Central B Alignment. ................................................................... 21 Figure 6: Bat sensitivity defined for the Southern Alignment. ................................................................... 23 Acronyms and Abbreviations DEA (Former) Department of Environmental Affairs Eskom Eskom Holdings SOC IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature kV kilovolt n/a Not applicable SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SRK SRK Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd ToR Terms of Reference Kappa- Sterrekus Powerline Specialist Screening Report: Bats Page 1 1 Introduction Eskom Holdings SOC (Eskom) has appointed SRK Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SRK) to undertake an environmental study (the study) of the second 765kV transmission powerline between the Kappa and Sterrekus substations (the Project). The purpose of the study is to: • Screen (evaluate) the three sub-corridor alignment alternatives (identified by Eskom – see Figure 1) based on environmental and social factors, taking cognisance of technical constraints, to select a preferred alignment; • Identify the preferred sub-corridor alignment from an environmental, social and technical perspective (the Screening Phase); and • Compile a detailed baseline description and identify preliminary high-level impacts of the preferred alignment, focusing on pinch-points (areas of high or very high sensitivity that cannot be avoided by infrastructure placement) (the Baseline Assessment Phase). SRK appointed Bioinsight (Pty) Ltd. to undertake the bat study required to inform this environmental study. This report presents the findings of the bat study during the Screening Phase and will inform the consolidated Screening Report to be complied by SRK. 1.1 Project Background 1.1.1 Background Currently, Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is the only base load power station in the Western Cape; however, it has insufficient capacity to meet local demand. To offset this deficit, electricity is transmitted from the Highveld to the Cape via the Cape (Transmission) Corridor. Despite improvements to the Corridor (including the 1st Kappa – Sterrekus [Omega] line commissioned in December 2016), supply is constrained during peak periods. To increase capacity, reduce operational costs, and improve flexibility and reliability, Eskom must improve capacity to the Cape Corridor, which includes the construction of the 2nd Kappa – Sterrekus 765 kV line (the Project), by 2027. The Cape Corridor falls within the Central Corridor identified through the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for Power Corridors (see Section 1.1.2). The three sub-corridor alignments were selected by Eskom based on their technical feasibility and fall wholly within the Cape Corridor (Figure 1). Kappa- Sterrekus Powerline Specialist Screening Report: Bats Page 2 Figure 1: Powerline sub-corridor alignment alternatives Kappa- Sterrekus Powerline Specialist Screening Report: Bats Page 3 1.1.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment for Power Corridors To inform a strategic approach to the planning and assessment of essential transmission grid infrastructure in South Africa, the (former) Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), in collaboration with Eskom, commissioned a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), of Electricity Grid Infrastructure. The SEA identified five national Power Corridors specifically intended to accommodate electricity grid infrastructure, which Cabinet approved as Strategic Transmission Corridors on 17 February 2017. The study areas falls wholly within a Strategic Transmission Corridor. Key outcomes of the SEA were: • Identification of sensitivity features and sensitivity maps for the Strategic Transmission Corridors under the following themes applicable to this study: o Agriculture; o Avifauna; o Terrestrial and Aquatic Biodiversity; o Heritage; and o Visual (tourism); and • A Procedure for Electricity Grid Infrastructure Environmental Assessment Applications Inside the Power Corridors, to streamline and better coordinate environmental assessment of grid infrastructure within strategic corridors, while ensuring environmental protection. The procedure consists of four phases, the first of which is the Screening Phase, followed by more detailed assessment in the preferred sub-corridor alternative, landowner negotiations and applications for the required approvals. The approach to screening has been closely guided by the protocols presented in the SEA. 1.2 Objectives of the Bat Screening Report In broad terms, and based on the protocols defined in the SEA, the objectives of this Screening Study are to: • Identify features of potential low, medium, high and very high sensitivity with respect to bats and bat habitats; • Confirm the sensitivity of features identified; • Compile a Screening Report, including
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