San Solar PV Facility and Associated Infrastructure, Northern Cape Province

San Solar Energy Facility (Pty) Ltd proposes the development of the San Solar PV facility, a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy facility and associated infrastructure, on a site located approximately 16km north west of Kathu in the Northern Cape Province. The solar PV facility will be developed on the Remaining extent of the Farm Wincanton 472 and comprise several arrays of PV panels and associated infrastructure with a contracted capacity of up to 100MW. The study area falls within the Gamagara Local Municipality within the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality. The site is located east of Deben and is accessible via the R380 provincial route which branches off the N14 National Road, approximately 3km south of Kathu.

A facility development area, which will include the PV facility, BESS and a 132kV facility substation to be connected via a Loop-in-Loop out (LILO) connection to the Umtu 132kV overhead power line will be identified within the study area considered in the Scoping phase. The infrastructure associated with this 100MW PV facility includes:

PV modules and mounting structures
Inverters and transformers
Cabling between the panels, to be laid underground where practical.
Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
Site and internal access roads (up to 8m wide)
Laydown area.
Operation and Maintenance buildings including a gate and security building, control centre, offices, warehouse, and workshop areas for maintenance and storage.
Grid connection solution including a 132kV facility substation to be connected via a Loop-in-Loop out (LILO) connection to the Umtu 132kV overhead power line (located ~5km east of the site).

The development area will be larger than the area needed for the construction of a 100MW PV facility and will provide the opportunity for the optimal placement of the infrastructure, ensuring avoidance of major identified environmental sensitivities by the development footprint. To avoid areas of potential sensitivity and to ensure that potential detrimental environmental impacts are minimised as far as possible, the development footprint within which the infrastructure of San Solar PV facility and its associated infrastructure will be located will be fully assessed during the EIA Phase.

Three (3) solar facilities have been constructed in the broader area. These include the Sishen Solar PV and Kathu Solar PV facilities located immediately west of the farm Remaining extent of the Farm Wincanton 472. The Kathu Solar facility is a CSP facility located to the east of the study area