The Karpowerships received an exemption from having to follow the local content obligations – this exemption was only granted on 15 December. Interestingly, if the original deadline had not been extended, the karpowerships would have been excluded from proceeding in the bid process.  On the 15th of March 2022 the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) invited members of the public and stakeholders to make oral presentations online on various Karpowership licenses. We responded to NERSA’s attempt to sideline Karpower public participation process.

On the 25th of April 2022, the Green Connection launched an application in the Gauteng High court in Pretoria seeking to review and set aside the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) decision to grant three electricity generation licenses to the Karpowership SA companies to operate powerships in the ports of Saldanha, Ngqura (Coega) and Richards Bay. Among other grounds of the review included in the application, the Green Connection takes issue with Nersa having granted the generation licenses even though the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) had refused to grant environmental authorisations for the powerships, and without Nersa taking environmental considerations into account. 

The same day (19 May 2022) the minister of Mineral Resources and Energy laid out the department’s uninspiring budget for 2022/23, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) notified The Green Connection that it will oppose the NGO’s court application to review and set aside the decision to grant three electricity generation licenses to Karpowership SA. Nersa approved the Karpower licences in September 2021, despite the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment’s (DFFE) refusal to grant environmental authorisation. Friday the 20th of May 22, Eskom sent notice that it will not oppose The Green Connection’s application and will abide by the decision of the court.

With legal action in progress against the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), Karpowerships SA and the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, The Green Connection says it is happy that no Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with the companies were signed, today. The Green Connection’s Strategic Lead Liziwe McDaid says, “As the climate crisis intensifies, South Africa needs to make a transition to sustainable energy sources that do not emit greenhouse gases. While it is positive step to see the Minister sign the PPAs for more renewables, we need much more. The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) still maintains a ceiling/limit on the amount of renewable energy that can be added to the grid. We need a revision of the IRP. With our climate goals in mind, Karpowerships do not make the grade. Read more.

Earlier this month (August), The Green Connection received correspondence from DFFE confirming that Karpowerships had failed in its appeal to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE). The Turkish company, which planned to supply additional power to South Africa via these floating kettles, was unable to overturn an earlier environmental ruling against its plans. Read more.

In the midst of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, small-scale fisherwomen from around the country not only have to deal with the gender-based violence issues that plague the women in the country, but they also have to fight to protect their livelihoods from the onslaught of proposed oil and gas projects. For nearly 2 years now (since around March 2021), small-scale fishers and coastal communities – threatened by the negative impacts of Karpowerships Read More.