Eskom Holdings Limited Environmental Impact Assessment for the Proposed Westgate Tarlton Kromdraai 132 Kilovolt (kV) Power Line, Kromdraai Substation and Associated Infrastructure Final Scoping Report DEAT Reference No.: 12/12/20/1016 Project Number: J26219 Date: February 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction Eskom Distribution (Eskom) has identified that the Tarlton area, situated in the western component of Gauteng ( Figure 1 ), requires additional electricity capacity in order to meet both current and future electricity needs within this area. The existing 11 kilovolt (kV) lines in the area are currently experiencing high loads as a result of the high rate of development in the area. To meet this demand Eskom proposes to strengthen the network by constructing a 132 kV distribution power line and a new substation. In terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA), and the associated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations 1 of 2006 (NEMA EIA Regulations), the proposed development constitutes a ‘listed activity’ and must therefore undergo an EIA to inform the application for environmental authorisation. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) is responsible for all applications made by parastatals and thus, DEAT is the relevant authority for this project. Arcus GIBB (Pty) Ltd (Arcus GIBB) was appointed by Eskom to undertake the relevant environmental authorisation process for the proposed project in terms of the NEMA EIA Regulations. Environmental Authorisation Process The EIA process comprises two phases namely, a Scoping Phase and a detailed Impact Assessment Phase. The purpose of the Scoping Phase is to undertake the following activities: • Engage all Interested and Affected Parties (IAPs); • Obtain IAP input and comments regarding the proposed project; • Communicate a broad description of the preliminary biophysical and socio-economic issues related to the proposed project to all IAPs and other stakeholders; • Describe the key project issues and alternatives identified by the proponent, consultants, authorities and the public, which may require further detailed investigations in the Impact Assessment Phase of the EIA process; and • Provide the proposed approach to the detailed Impact Assessment Phase indicating the terms of reference for any specialist studies in the form of a Plan of Study for EIA. Project Location The project is located in Western Gauteng within the West Rand District Municipality. Tarlton and Magaliesburg are major towns within the broader region and the Cradle of Humankind is a significant cultural feature characterising the broader study area ( Appendix A 1 ). Please refer to Appendix A 1 Error! Reference source not found. for clarity regarding the proposed power line corridors and the substation location in relation to the surrounding areas. Brief Project Description Eskom Distribution proposes to construct a new 132 kV distribution power line between the existing Westgate and Tarlton Substations and from the Tarlton Substation to the proposed new Kromdraai Substation. The total length of the power line will be approximately 50 kilometres, depending on the final alignment of the corridor. 1 Government Notices R.385, R.386 and R.387, promulgated in terms of section 24 of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act 107 of 1998) Eskom Holdings Limited i Issue 1.0 / February 2009 Final Scoping Report The proposed new Kromdraai Substation will require an area of 0.64 hectares. Prior to the construction of a new power line and substation, a number of issues such as servitude acquisition, transmission power line and tower specifications, access roads and construction camps must be considered. Further details pertaining to the project description are provided in Section 4. Project Alternatives This Final Scoping Report (FSR) considers location alternatives relating to the alignment of the proposed power line corridors and alternative locations for the proposed substation within the identified study areas. Eskom originally identified seven alternative corridor alignments and two alternative locations for the proposed Kromdraai Substation for consideration in this EIA. However, based on input from an Interested and Affected Party (IAP), one substation location, as well as the power line corridor leading to the substation, was eliminated from further consideration as feasible alternatives. Further to this, two additional route alternatives were identified by Eskom at the request of various landowners during the public meeting held on 04 March 2008. The original and new power line corridor alternatives are described in detail in Section 5 and further details pertaining to the elimination of one substation location are discussed in Section 5.3 . The technology and the No-Go alternatives are briefly assessed in view of the South African power context in Sections 5.4 and 5.5 , respectively. The Affected Environment Section 6 describes the environment that will potentially be affected by the proposed development. The information contained in Section 6 of this Scoping Report is a summary of the information taken from a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Magaliesberg and Surrounding Areas undertaken by Arcus GIBB in 2006. This information will be augmented by more detailed site-specific information in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Public Participation Process A Public Participation Process (PPP) is a consultation process undertaken during the EIA, which should lead to informed decision-making, through joint effort by the project proponent; the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP); Specialists; Government authorities and other stakeholders and IAPs. The comments received, and the issues arising from the PPP have been incorporated into the FSR and used in identifying project alternatives, and impacts as well as in determining mitigation measures for the project. As far as possible written notification of the project was provided to landowners along the route. However, some properties are vacant and it has accordingly not been possible to provide written notification of the project to every landowner along the route. A BID and Comment Sheet ( Appendix C 2 ) was compiled and distributed in the broader region during November 2007. The BID was distributed to IAPs located in the vicinity of the proposed site. An advertisement was placed in the Randfontein Herald and Roodepoort Rekord in the week ending 11 January 2008. The purpose of the advertisement (Appendix C 1) was to notify IAPs about the proposed project and to invite them to register an interest in the project. IAPs were informed of the availability of the revised DSR via the placement of advertisements in the Krugersdorp News and in the Randfontein Herald on the week ending 28 November 2008. A public information-sharing meeting was held on 04 March 2008 at the Nelson Mandela Hall in Tarlton. All registered IAPs were notified of the meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to offer IAPs an opportunity to raise issues, concerns and any suggestions on Eskom Holdings Limited ii Issue 1.0 / February 2009 Final Scoping Report the proposed project. A second public meeting was held on 15 January 2009 at the Nelson Mandela Hall to present the findings of the revised DSR. The revised DSR was made available for public review from 27 November to 02 February 2009 . The following main issues were identified during the PPP thus far: • IAPs sought the details of the landowners that Eskom had initially consulted as part of their preliminary investigations; • The possible impact of the power line on Harmony Gold’s dump reclamation project; • Loss of land; • Issue of expropriation; • Reconsideration of the proposed powerline alternatives; and • Geotechnical stability of the certain areas to withhold such development. Other queries pertained to the following: • Location of the pylons and the substation; • Security and safety of the substation; • Impacts on aircrafts; • Devaluation of properties; • PPP conducted to date • Aesthetic impacts; and • Access routes. All the concerns and issues raised during the PPP will be captured and responded to in an Issues and Response Report (IRR) (Appendix C 6). Key Potential Environmental Impacts Identified to date Potential environmental impacts resulting from both the construction and operational phases of the proposed power line and substation were identified during the Scoping Phase of the EIA process. The potential impacts have been identified based on baseline investigations, professional judgement of the EAP as well as comments from the PPP. The key potential impacts associated with the proposed development are summarised below: • Irreversible habitat destruction associated with the construction camp and new substation, are likely to be the largest sources of risk to faunal and floral communities in the broader region; • The placement of towers on the banks of drainage lines may result in erosion of the banks and disturbance to the riparian vegetation; • Contaminants such as hydrocarbons may drain into the surface and groundwater systems, thereby polluting these systems; • The proposed power line will require the registration of a servitude in which, for safety reasons, no other land use will be allowed; • The power line may alter flight patterns of local aircraft; • During construction and excavation activities there is the potential to disturb areas of historical, cultural or archaeological importance; • The movement of machinery