PUBLIC HEARINGS IN RESPECT OF THE GENERATION LICENCE APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED KHANYISA AND THABAMETSI INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER COAL-FIRED POWER STATIONS

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and groundWork, submitted a letter to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 16 February 2018 requesting the postponement of public hearings for the proposed Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations. The CER argues that pending litigation over environmental authorisations, missing water and atmospheric emission licences, and the lack of a promulgated new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) prevent NERSA from making a legally consistent and public-interest-based decision.

• The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is challenging the environmental authorisation for the Thabametsi coal-fired power station following a decision by the Minister on 30 January 2018 to uphold it. Additionally, Thabametsi lacks a valid water use licence (WUL)—with a new application and integrated waste and water management plan (IWWMP) open for comment until 6 March 2018—and has reportedly not yet applied for an atmospheric emission licence (AEL).
• The Khanyisa power station faces several regulatory and legal hurdles, including a pending application to review and set aside its environmental authorisation (case number 61561/17). It has not obtained an integrated WUL, and the validity of its provisional AEL is disputed, with the transfer of the AEL subject to an appeal under the Municipal Systems Act, 2000.
• The CER asserts that NERSA's ability to ensure decisions are in the public interest and consistent with the Constitution and the National Energy Regulator Act 40 of 2004 (NERA) is limited by the ongoing litigation and outstanding licences. Furthermore, the CER notes that the 2010 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is "woefully outdated" and a revised IRP has not yet been promulgated, which is critical since applicants must provide evidence of compliance with the applicable IRP under section 10(2)(g) of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA).
• The CER formally requested that NERSA postpone the public hearings scheduled for 27 March 2018 until three conditions are met: the promulgation of a revised IRP, the final determination of court challenges against both power stations, and the issuance of all outstanding licences.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2018). PUBLIC HEARINGS IN RESPECT OF THE GENERATION LICENCE APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED KHANYISA AND THABAMETSI INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER COAL-FIRED POWER STATIONS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CER-Letter-to-NERSA-16-2-18.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. PUBLIC HEARINGS IN RESPECT OF THE GENERATION LICENCE APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED KHANYISA AND THABAMETSI INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER COAL-FIRED POWER STATIONS. 2018. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CER-Letter-to-NERSA-16-2-18.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=PUBLIC HEARINGS IN RESPECT OF THE GENERATION LICENCE APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED KHANYISA AND THABAMETSI INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER COAL-FIRED POWER STATIONS |date=16 February 2018 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CER-Letter-to-NERSA-16-2-18.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2018public, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{PUBLIC HEARINGS IN RESPECT OF THE GENERATION LICENCE APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED KHANYISA AND THABAMETSI INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER COAL-FIRED POWER STATIONS}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2018}, month = feb, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CER-Letter-to-NERSA-16-2-18.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }