Eros Port Edward Power Line: Notice of Environmental Authorisation

The Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism have issued an Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the establishment of a 132kV substation at Zwelethu (near Bizana) and 2 x 132kV lines to feed the South Coast, Bizana & Xolobeni region. 

Eros_Port_Edward-Environmental_Authorisation_13Aug09.pdf

Anyone wishing to appeal any aspect of this decision must lodge a notice of intention to appeal with the Minister of DEAT by the 28th August 2009. Further details are contained in the EA.

It's futile and counter-productive to protest progress and future energy requirements, obviously; but as can be seen from the attached diagrams the approved power line on the Eastern Cape side comes directly to the north perimeter of the proposed Xolobeni mining tenement, and from there runs adjacent to the proposed N2. That's called central planning 1-2-3.

But to put this in perspective one has to realize that the entire South Coast runs on 2 x 88kV power lines, and this huge upgrade of the total current capacity is aimed at urbanizing and industrializing the Pondoland Center of Endemism along the path of the N2 toll road; which after all is the planned macro-economic future for the area. Objections, eco-tourism and the environment be damned.