Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday dismissed appeals against the decision to grant environmental authorisation for a new Eskom power station in Mpumalanga.
The project involves the construction of a 5 400MW coal-fired power station and associated infrastructure near Witbank.
”This decision sees to it that this power station will be fitted with the most advanced air pollution abatement equipment ever installed at a power station in South Africa,” Van Schalkwyk said in a statement.
The equipment would result in a minimum of 90% of sulphur dioxide being removed from emissions, and would also reduce dust emissions in line with international standards.
”This equipment is expensive to install and operate, but Eskom has made the commitment to ensure that the air-quality impacts from this new plant do not result in a deterioration of the air quality in the region,” he said.
The flue gas desulphurisation, or FGD technology, involved scrubbing sulphur dioxide gas with a limestone sorbent to limit the emission of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere. The process also removed most of the dust from emissions and had added benefits, such as reducing mercury emissions from the plant.
This was the first time Eskom would be installing control technology to address sulphur-dioxide emissions.
Traditionally, Eskom had only been regulated in its dust emissions. The power station fell within the recently declared Highveld Priority Area, and as such, would be subject to detailed scrutiny of air quality around the plant.
The Environmental Affairs and Tourism Department was embarking on a detailed air-quality management planning process to address poor air quality in the region.
”Furthermore, given the need to mitigate against climate change and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the record of decision requires carbon capture readiness,” said Van Schalkwyk. – Sapa