Pienaarspoort Grid Connection Infrastructure

GRID CONNECTION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE AUTHORISED PIENAARSPOORT WIND ENERGY FACILITY 1 AND PIENAARSPOORT WIND ENERGY FACILITY 2 TO THE EXISTING ADAMSKRAAL SUBSTATION, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE

Applicant:  ABO Wind renewable energies (Pty) Ltd

Proposed Activity: Construction and operation of the Pienaarspoort Grid Connection Infrastructure to allow for the authorised Pienaarspoort Wind Energy Facility 1 (DFFE Ref: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2318) and Pienaarspoort Wind Energy Facility 2 (DFFE Ref: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2441) to connect to the existing Adamskraal Substation.  Three (3) grid connection solutions are required to connect the wind farm substations to the existing Adamskraal Substation:

1. Pienaarspoort 1 switching Substation to Adamskraal Substation (switchyard extension)
2. Pienaarspoort 2 Drinkwaterskloof switching Substation to Adamskraal switchyard (switchyard extension)
3. Pienaarspoort 2 Melkbosch Kraal switching Substation to Adamskraal switchyard (switchyard extension)

The grid connection infrastructure will be located within a shared 500m wide grid connection corridor:

• 132kV switching substation of 1ha in extent (immediately adjacent to the facility substation) on the Pienaarspoort Wind Facilities sites.
• 132kV power line within a 500m wide corridor
• 132kV switching yard extension of 1ha in extent at Adamskraal Substation (immediately adjacent to the existing switchyard and substation)

Location: 30km north-east of Touws River and 34km north-west of Matjiesfontein, in the Witzenberg Local Municipality (Cape Winelands District Municipality), in the Western Cape and falls, within the Central Strategic Transmission Corridor.  The properties traversed by the 500m shared corridor include:

Remaining Extent of Farm Bruwelsfontein 249	Pienaarspoort 1 switching Substation, and grid line within 500m corridor (associated with Project 1)
Remaining Extent of Farm Upper Stinkfontein 246	Grid line within 500m corridor (Project 1, 2 and 3)
Portion 1 of Farm Melkbosch Kraal 250	Pienaarspoort 2 Melkbosch switching Substation (associated with project 3) Grid line within 500m corridor (project 1 and 3)
Remaining Extent of Farm Melkbosch Kraal 250	Grid line within 500m corridor (Project 1 and 3)
Remaining Extent of Farm Drinkwaters Kloof 251	Pienaarspoort 2 Drinkwaterskraal switching substation Grid line within 500m corridor (associated with Project 2)
Farm Lower Stinkfontein 245	Grid line within 500m corridor, and Adamskraal switching yard extension (Project 1, 2 and 3)

 Basic Assessment Process:  In terms of Sections 24 and 24D of the National Environmental Management Act (No 107 of 1998), as read with Government Notice R324 – R327, as amended, a Basic Impact Assessment is required for each application.  A separate application for each project has been lodged with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).  Revised BA reports which address comments received have been prepared for a second review period.

Notification of Revised Basic Assessment (BA) Reports Available for Review:  Revised BA Reports are available for comment from 05 October 2022 to 04 November 2022.

To obtain further information and to register on the project databases, please submit your name, contact information and interest in the project.

Nicolene Venter of Savannah Environmental
Post: PO Box 148, Sunninghill, 2157
Tel: 011 656 3237   |   Fax: 086 684 0547
Mobile: 060 978 8396
Email: publicprocess@savannahsa.com

Documents for public review are available for download.

Please click on the “Register Interest” button to obtain the Registration Code to access the project’s documents under the “View Download Page.”