Coal-Fired Power Station and Associated Infrastructure - IPP Waterberg (Thabametsi) Power Station near Lephalale: Climate Change Study and Palaeontological Impact Assessment: Summary Report

The report assesses the environmental impacts of the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station, focusing on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, climate resilience, and palaeontological risks. It finds that while the project will have a 'High (Negative)' significance rating due to 'Very Large' GHG emissions, it aligns with South Africa's energy policy and is more efficient than the country's oldest coal plants. Climate risks include water shortages and high temperatures, while palaeontological risks are rated as low to medium depending on the geological formation. The report concludes there are no environmental fatal flaws, provided mitigation measures are implemented.

• The proposed 1200 MW power plant is estimated to emit 8,191,067 t CO2e annually during operation, with total cumulative emissions over a 30-year lifetime projected to be in the range of 246 Mt CO2e.
• The project's overall significance rating for GHG emissions is High (Negative) because the magnitude of emissions is 'Very Large' based on international lender standards, though this is not considered a fatal flaw as it aligns with national energy plans.
• The plant's emissions intensity of 1.02 t CO2e / MWh is similar to the current Eskom fleet average (1.01 t CO2e) but represents an improvement over the three oldest coal plants slated for decommissioning by 2025: Camden (1.24), Hendrina (1.18), and Arnot (1.09).
• The project's GHG emissions are expected to account for 1.4% to 2.1% of South Africa's national emissions in 2020, potentially increasing to between 1.9% and 3.9% by 2050.
• The use of subcritical steam conditions, necessitated by the Department of Energy's bid requirements and the need for redundancy, limits the plant's thermal efficiency to 36.25%, which is below the efficiencies achievable by supercritical or ultra-supercritical technologies.
• Climate resilience assessments identified three risks that remain 'High' even after adaptation: plant efficiency losses due to rising temperatures, water shortages, and water quality issues.
• Climate projections for Lephalale indicate temperatures will likely increase by 2-3°C by the 2050s, with an increase in heatwaves and drought risk, although precipitation projections remain uncertain among models.
• The probability of negative impacts on palaeontological heritage is rated as 'medium' for the Swartrant Formation and 'low' for the Cenozoic regolith and other Karoo Supergroup formations (Eendragtpan, Lisbon, and Clarens).
• Construction phase emissions are estimated at 261,707 t CO2e, representing only 0.11% of total lifecycle emissions, with land-use change being the largest source at 59%.

APA

Blackwell, A., & Thomas, J.-A. (2017). Coal-Fired Power Station and Associated Infrastructure - IPP Waterberg (Thabametsi) Power Station near Lephalale: Climate Change Study and Palaeontological Impact Assessment: Summary Report. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Thabametsi-Draft-Summary-Report-Jan17.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Blackwell, Ashleigh, and Jo-Anne Thomas. Coal-Fired Power Station and Associated Infrastructure - IPP Waterberg (Thabametsi) Power Station near Lephalale: Climate Change Study and Palaeontological Impact Assessment: Summary Report. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2017. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Thabametsi-Draft-Summary-Report-Jan17.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Blackwell |first1=Ashleigh |last2=Thomas |first2=Jo-Anne |title=Coal-Fired Power Station and Associated Infrastructure - IPP Waterberg (Thabametsi) Power Station near Lephalale: Climate Change Study and Palaeontological Impact Assessment: Summary Report |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=January 2017 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Thabametsi-Draft-Summary-Report-Jan17.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{blackwell2017coalfired, author = {Blackwell, Ashleigh and Thomas, Jo-Anne}, title = {{Coal-Fired Power Station and Associated Infrastructure - IPP Waterberg (Thabametsi) Power Station near Lephalale: Climate Change Study and Palaeontological Impact Assessment: Summary Report}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2017}, month = jan, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Thabametsi-Draft-Summary-Report-Jan17.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }