OBJECTIONS TO THE VARIATION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION LICENCE FOR ESKOM’S KRIEL POWER STATION

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing various community and environmental groups, submitted formal objections to Eskom's application to vary the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) for the Kriel Power Station. The CER argues that the requested increase in particulate matter (PM) emissions would exacerbate poor air quality in the Highveld Priority Area, cause significant health impacts, and result from Eskom's own poor planning rather than a genuine emergency.

• The CER contends that Eskom's public participation process for the Kriel AEL variation was procedurally unfair, providing only 8 to 11 working days for comment, which is far below the generally accepted 21-day period.
• Eskom is seeking to significantly increase the maximum release rate for particulate matter (PM) at Kriel from 125 mg/Nm3 to 350 mg/Nm3 (and up to 550 mg/Nm3 for four days a month) until April 1, 2015.
• The CER alleges that Eskom intends to avoid compliance with the 2015 and 2020 Minimum Emission Standards (MES) for PM until April 1, 2025, seeking limits of 400 mg/Nm3 in the interim.
• The Kriel Power Station is located in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), where power generation is a major contributor to pollution, accounting for 12% of PM10, 73% of NOx, and 82% of SO2 emissions.
• The CER claims Eskom's atmospheric dispersion modelling is flawed because it modelled the Kriel power station in isolation, ignoring other nearby power stations like Matla, Komati, and Kendal, thereby underestimating ambient pollutant concentrations.
• Monitoring data at Kriel Village, approximately 7km from the station, indicates that air quality does not comply with WHO guidelines, with PM10 daily limit values exceeded more than 30% of the time in 2010.
• The CER argues that Eskom has grossly exaggerated the cost of retrofitting fabric filters at Kriel, estimating R9.1 billion when historical data from the Hendrina retrofit suggests a cost closer to R750 million.
• The CER asserts that the timeframes provided by Eskom for retrofitting are unrealistic, stating that such projects are typically achievable in 12-24 months, contradicting Eskom's claim that work cannot begin before 2018.
• Eskom is identified as the state organ with the highest rate of non-compliance with environmental legislation, according to the 2011-12 National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2013). OBJECTIONS TO THE VARIATION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION LICENCE FOR ESKOM’S KRIEL POWER STATION. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Annexure-1_CER-submission-on-variation-of-Kriel-AEL_11-Dec-2013_final1.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. OBJECTIONS TO THE VARIATION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION LICENCE FOR ESKOM’S KRIEL POWER STATION. 2013. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Annexure-1_CER-submission-on-variation-of-Kriel-AEL_11-Dec-2013_final1.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=OBJECTIONS TO THE VARIATION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION LICENCE FOR ESKOM’S KRIEL POWER STATION |date=11 December 2013 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Annexure-1_CER-submission-on-variation-of-Kriel-AEL_11-Dec-2013_final1.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2013objections, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{OBJECTIONS TO THE VARIATION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC EMISSION LICENCE FOR ESKOM’S KRIEL POWER STATION}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2013}, month = dec, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Annexure-1_CER-submission-on-variation-of-Kriel-AEL_11-Dec-2013_final1.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }