OBJECTION TO THE NIFPP WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION

The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting for groundWork, submitted a formal objection on 18 June 2021 to the Water Use Licence (WUL) application for the Nseleni Independent Floating Power Plant (NIFPP) at the Port of Richards Bay. The objection argues that the 12-page application is 'woefully deficient and incomplete,' failing to provide necessary data on water resource impacts, climate change, and the full scope of associated infrastructure to allow for an informed decision.

• The WUL application is described as highly deficient, consisting of only 12 pages and a one-page impact table derived from an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) rather than being tailored for water impacts. It fails to include a geohydrological impact assessment, wetland delineation, or public participation and comment reports.
• The application fails to identify the full scope of the project and its associated infrastructure, which includes an 8400MW power plant, LNG receiving and storage facilities, a desalination plant, a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), and a pipe and cabling bridge crossing sensitive areas like the Kabeljous Flats and mangrove forests.
• The project is located in an ecologically sensitive area, including the uMhlathuze Estuary—ranked among the top ten most important estuaries in South Africa—and the Richards Bay Estuary. The objection notes that the project may impact the Mhlatuze Wetland priority system, which covers over 4000ha and is nearly 20km long.
• There is a contradiction regarding the discharge of heated water; while the EIA states no heated water will be discharged, the Section 27 Motivation Report suggests that using seawater for cooling could raise the Port's water temperature by 10 ºC, potentially harming the estuarine environment and local fisheries.
• The application fails to identify and apply for necessary activities under Sections 21(c) and (i) of the National Water Act, which cover the impedance of water flow and the alteration of watercourse beds or banks, both of which are expected due to piling and bridge construction.
• The objection highlights a lack of climate change impact assessments. It notes the project is expected to release 834,475,090 tCO2e over 25 years, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and potentially exacerbating water scarcity and sea-level rise, while also damaging carbon-sequestering mangroves and seagrass.
• The Section 27 Motivation Report is criticized for focusing on unsubstantiated positive socio-economic impacts while ignoring negative impacts on local subsistence fisheries. The document notes that existing ecological services in the area provide significant annual value, such as R13.5 million from fish and R4 million from prawns.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2021). OBJECTION TO THE NIFPP WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CER-to-SES-Solutions-gW-objection-to-NIFPP-WUL-18.06.2021.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. OBJECTION TO THE NIFPP WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION. 2021. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CER-to-SES-Solutions-gW-objection-to-NIFPP-WUL-18.06.2021.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=OBJECTION TO THE NIFPP WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION |date=18 June 2021 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CER-to-SES-Solutions-gW-objection-to-NIFPP-WUL-18.06.2021.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2021objection, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{OBJECTION TO THE NIFPP WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CER-to-SES-Solutions-gW-objection-to-NIFPP-WUL-18.06.2021.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }