annexure-4-nersa-ela-objections-pl-affidavit-feafd07df3b2d993.pdf

This affidavit, submitted by Earthlife Africa (ELA) to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), objects to the licensing of the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power plant. ELA argues that the project is environmentally unsustainable, financially risky, and inconsistent with South Africa's legal obligations and international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.

• Earthlife Africa (ELA) objects to the licensing of the Thabametsi coal-fired power plant, which has a planned gross capacity of 630MW, on the grounds that it would contravene the National Energy Regulator Act, 2004 (NERA) and the Electricity Regulation Act, 2006 (ERA).
• The project's Environmental Authorisation (EA) is currently under review in the High Court in Pretoria because Thabametsi failed to comprehensively assess climate change impacts, a fact acknowledged by the Minister of Environmental Affairs in a March 2016 appeal decision.
• Thabametsi faces significant water security risks, as it relies on the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP2), which has not yet been authorised and is experiencing technical delays. The plant requires 1,500,000m³ of water per year once fully operational.
• Licensing the plant would conflict with South Africa's commitments under the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which requires greenhouse gas emissions to peak by 2025 and decline thereafter. A plant starting in 2021 with a 30-to-40-year lifespan would lock the country into long-term carbon emissions.
• The project is described as financially burdensome and a potential 'stranded asset.' A CSIR study indicates that a re-optimised energy mix including wind and solar would be R90 billion cheaper per year by 2040 than the 'Business-as-Usual' scenario.
• The plant is located within the Waterberg-Bojanala Air Quality Priority Area (WBPA), where air quality already fails to comply with national standards. ELA argues that the cumulative emissions from Thabametsi and nearby stations like Matimba and Medupi would severely impact human health.
• ELA asserts that the plant is unnecessary due to an existing electricity oversupply and the abundance of renewable energy potential. A Stanford University study suggests South Africa could meet 100% of its electricity needs from wind, water, and sunlight.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). annexure-4-nersa-ela-objections-pl-affidavit-feafd07df3b2d993.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Annexure-4-NERSA-ELA-Objections-PL-Affidavit.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. annexure-4-nersa-ela-objections-pl-affidavit-feafd07df3b2d993.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Annexure-4-NERSA-ELA-Objections-PL-Affidavit.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=annexure-4-nersa-ela-objections-pl-affidavit-feafd07df3b2d993.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Annexure-4-NERSA-ELA-Objections-PL-Affidavit.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndannexure4nersaelaobjectionsplaffidavitfeafd07df3b2d993pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{annexure-4-nersa-ela-objections-pl-affidavit-feafd07df3b2d993.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Annexure-4-NERSA-ELA-Objections-PL-Affidavit.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }