Water Use License Application Report (WULAR) for the Proposed Thabametsi Power Plant within the Lephalale Municipality

The Thabametsi Power Company (Pty) Ltd is applying for a Water Use License for a 630 MW coal-fired power plant near Lephalale, Limpopo. The project will use dry-cooled Circulating Fluidised Bed technology to achieve zero liquid effluent discharge. Water will be sourced via a permanent transfer of 720,000 m3/annum from Exxaro Coal (Pty) Ltd's existing allocation. The application covers several water uses under the National Water Act, including taking and storing water, altering watercourses, and disposing of waste. While the project is expected to create 14,348 jobs and support local industry, it faces challenges regarding water scarcity in the Mokolo Dam catchment and potential groundwater pollution from ash dumps and coal stockpiles. Mitigation measures include HDPE liners for pollution control dams and a comprehensive groundwater monitoring program.

• The proposed Thabametsi Power Plant is a 630 MW coal-fired facility that will employ dry-cooled Circulating Fluidised Bed technology to ensure a "zero liquid effluent discharge plant".
• The project requires a water allocation of 720,000 m3/annum, which will be obtained through a permanent transfer (Section 25(2) application) from Exxaro Coal (Pty) Ltd's existing license.
• Water scarcity in the region is a significant risk, as the safe yield of the Mokolo Dam is expected to be exceeded in the near future and the current supply from MCWAP-1 is considered "unsustainable in the long-term".
• The project identifies several high-significance environmental impacts without mitigation, including catchment yield reduction (60), residual impact (64), and coal stock yard and AMD (56).
• Groundwater pollution is a risk primarily from the ash dump and coal stockpile due to the oxidation of sulphide containing minerals; mitigation includes the use of HDPE liners and a monitoring program with 16 boreholes.
• The project's footprint will not directly impact wetlands, but it will transgress the 500m protective buffer zone of delineated depression complexes, triggering Section 21(c) and (i) water uses.
• The project is expected to have significant socio-economic benefits, including the creation of 14,348 direct and indirect jobs over its life and a planned spend of approximately R820 million on local supplier development.
• The Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the project has been suspended by the Minister of Environmental Affairs to consider the plant's climate change impacts.

APA

Appelman, C., & Maré, J. (2017). Water Use License Application Report (WULAR) for the Proposed Thabametsi Power Plant within the Lephalale Municipality. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IWULAR-Thabametsi-Report-14.12.17.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Appelman, Charné, and Johan Maré. Water Use License Application Report (WULAR) for the Proposed Thabametsi Power Plant within the Lephalale Municipality. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2017. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IWULAR-Thabametsi-Report-14.12.17.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Appelman |first1=Charné |last2=Maré |first2=Johan |title=Water Use License Application Report (WULAR) for the Proposed Thabametsi Power Plant within the Lephalale Municipality |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=November 2017 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IWULAR-Thabametsi-Report-14.12.17.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{appelman2017water, author = {Appelman, Charné and Maré, Johan}, title = {{Water Use License Application Report (WULAR) for the Proposed Thabametsi Power Plant within the Lephalale Municipality}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2017}, month = nov, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IWULAR-Thabametsi-Report-14.12.17.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }