South Africa: Karpowership's Environmental Hazards Controversially Reduced in New Eia Specs

analysis

The revisions appear to have lowered several of the predicted risk profiles for harbour workers should fires or explosions break out accidentally around the proposed gas-to-power ships and pipelines in Richards Bay, Ngqura or Saldanha Bay.

Karpowership consultants have declined an opportunity to fully explain belated revisions to three specialist studies dealing with the deadly hazards of mooring several power ships in three SA ports for the next 20 years.

The revisions appear to have lowered several of the predicted risk profiles for harbour workers should fires or explosions break out accidentally around the proposed gas-to-power ships and pipelines in Richards Bay, Ngqura or Saldanha Bay.

For example, the predicted fatality distance of a transfer hose "flash fire" (previously calculated at 879m) has decreased by almost half to 499m. The maximum fatality distance for a "jet fire" drops from 568m to 188m, while in another scenario, another jet fire impact distance drops from 220m to just 15m.

Last year, Karpowership consultants submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) as part of the approval process for the controversial Turkish-led "emergency solution" to the Eskom electricity crisis.

That study -- rejected by...

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