Thumbs up for Thabametsi

LEPHALALE - The department of environmental affairs has granted environmental authorisation for the establishment of Exxaro Resources' planned 1200MW coal-fired Thabametsi power station, 26km north-west of Lephalale.
The Thabametsi power station will include access roads, coal storage areas and bunkers, a pipeline for water supply, coal loading and off loading areas and conveyor belts, power plant production units, ash dumps, wastewater treatment facilities, a high-voltage yard, overhead power lines to connect into the Eskom grid and office and maintenance areas.
In 2014, Exxaro reported that it planned  to invest R16.1 billion in growth capital investment at its Grootegeluk mine near Lephalale. The plan includes the development of the new Thabametsi open-pit coal mine and beneficiation complex. Transnet also indicated that it aims to improve rail volumes on its line from the Waterberg to 27mtpa from the current 2mtpa at a cost of some R5-billion and is reportedly targeted to be in use by 2016-2017. Previous reports from Transnet indicate that the new Liné will run from Lephalale, Thabazimbi through to Mpumalanga.
The environmental authorization for the power station can be downloaded from www.savannahsa.com/projects