Impact assessment ordered for Coega ‘peaking power plant’

By Patrick Cull Political Editor

THE department of minerals and energy has commissioned an Environmental Impact Assessment for the construction of a new peaking power plant in the Coega Industrial Development Zone .

The peaking power plant is made up of four gas turbine engines and ancillary equipment and will generate electricity that will be fed into the Eskom transmission network during peak periods. The gas turbines will be diesel powered and storage tanks will be located on site.

The department said that because the plant would be specifically a “peaking power plant” it would under normal circumstances operate for less than 10 per cent of the available time a year.

The site required for the building of the plant is 16ha and it should be fully operational by October 2008.