ESKOM SOC HOLDINGS LTD’S (ESKOM) APPLICATION TO POSTPONE COMPLIANCE WITH AND/OR BE EXEMPT FROM MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2), NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX), AND PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) FOR ITS POWER STATIONS

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several community and environmental groups, submitted a letter to the South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs and the National Air Quality Officer. The letter challenges Eskom's applications to postpone or be exempt from Minimum Emission Standards (MES) for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter across 17 power stations, arguing that the current application process lacks necessary health risk assessments and adequate public participation.

• Eskom has applied for the postponement of and/or exemption from Minimum Emission Standards (MES) for 17 power stations: Medupi, Majuba, Matimba, Kendal, Lethabo, Duvha (U1-3 and U4-6), Matla, Tutuka, Kriel, Arnot, Hendrina, Camden, Grootvlei, Komati, Port Rex, and Acacia.
• The CER and its clients dispute Eskom's claim in its Background Information Document (BID) that power station emissions do not harm human health, stating this claim is not supported by medical research or findings from the World Bank Inspection Panel.
• The CER argues that Eskom's plan to omit detailed health or environmental risk assessments from the Atmospheric Impact Reports (AIRs) is inadequate and would prevent decision-makers from considering all relevant factors required under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000 (PAJA).
• The CER requests that Eskom amend its atmospheric dispersion modelling Plan of Study (PoS) to ensure more robust modelling and outputs that allow for detailed health risk assessments, noting that Eskom representatives previously acknowledged these proposals were 'good'.
• The CER contends that the proposed 30-day public comment period for 17 separate applications and AIRs is 'woefully inadequate' and requests a minimum of 90 days, excluding the period from 15 December 2013 to 2 January 2014.
• The CER asserts that for a postponement application to succeed under the 2007 National Framework for Air Quality Management, it must be demonstrated that emissions are not causing adverse impacts on the environment and that ambient air quality standards (AAQS) are being met, both of which are disputed by the CER's clients.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2013). ESKOM SOC HOLDINGS LTD’S (ESKOM) APPLICATION TO POSTPONE COMPLIANCE WITH AND/OR BE EXEMPT FROM MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2), NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX), AND PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) FOR ITS POWER STATIONS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CER-letter-to-Minister-and-NAQO_-8-October-2013_final.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. ESKOM SOC HOLDINGS LTD’S (ESKOM) APPLICATION TO POSTPONE COMPLIANCE WITH AND/OR BE EXEMPT FROM MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2), NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX), AND PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) FOR ITS POWER STATIONS. 2013. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CER-letter-to-Minister-and-NAQO_-8-October-2013_final.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=ESKOM SOC HOLDINGS LTD’S (ESKOM) APPLICATION TO POSTPONE COMPLIANCE WITH AND/OR BE EXEMPT FROM MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2), NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX), AND PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) FOR ITS POWER STATIONS |date=8 October 2013 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CER-letter-to-Minister-and-NAQO_-8-October-2013_final.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2013eskom, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{ESKOM SOC HOLDINGS LTD’S (ESKOM) APPLICATION TO POSTPONE COMPLIANCE WITH AND/OR BE EXEMPT FROM MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2), NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX), AND PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) FOR ITS POWER STATIONS}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2013}, month = oct, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CER-letter-to-Minister-and-NAQO_-8-October-2013_final.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }