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Witbank to get power station
17/03/2008 13:11 - (SA)
Cape Town - Environmental Affairs 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 5400Mw 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 from the power station to be in line with international emission 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 sorbent (limestone) to limit the emissions of sulphur dioxide to 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.
Air quality management
The power station fell within the recently declared Highveld Priority Area, and as such, was subject to detailed scrutiny in terms of its air quality impacts.
The Environmental Affairs and Tourism Department was embarking on a detailed air quality management planning process to address poor air quality in the region, with the ultimate aim of ensuring the air quality in the area did not exceed health-based standards.
"Furthermore, given the need to mitigate against climate change and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the Record of Decision requires carbon capture readiness."
Eskom was required to submit to the department for approval, a report detailing the preferred technology before proceeding with construction.
This would allow the department to assess whether the chosen technology was appropriate and would further allow for the necessary research to ensure that the appropriate measures (site layout, ducting etc) were taken into account during the construction phase, Van Schalkwyk said.
- SAPA
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