Arandis power plant moves closer

ARANDIS Power’s 120MW power plant and waste oil recycling plant is a step closer to being realised as the company readies itself to submit its application to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism’s Department of Environmental Affairs for an environmental clearance certificate.

The proposed development will be situated on the eastern outskirts of the town’s heavy industrial area – not far from NamPower’s proposed 300MW coal-fired power station.Besides adding a much-needed 120MW of electricity to the national grid, Arandis Power will also use heavy fuel oil (HFO) and recycled oil from a waste recycling plant to run its generator. The waste oil recycling plant will treat oily waste from various sources, particularly ships. A large portion of the recycled oil will be suitable as fuel for the power plant. Up to 60 000 tonnes of petroleum a year will be produced by this recycling plant.The company is confident that it will do all it can to mitigate any negative environmental impacts according to international standards.’Arandis Power is committed to implement measures to mitigate the potential negative impacts and enhance the potential positive impacts. There are hundreds of these plants around the world, and the technology used is clean and safe. This is the same technology we will use here,’ project manager Werner Petrick told The Namibian during an open day at Arandis on Tuesday.Concerns about injury to people and animals from hazardous excavations and infrastructure (specifically during the construction and decommissioning phases); soil pollution; destruction of biodiversity; damage to heritage resources; noise, air and water pollution and road safety will be addressed to reduce the impacts.The company says up to 900 people will be employed during construction, while 46 will be employed at the power plant and 30 at the waste oil plant.’There will be people that will oppose the project on the grounds of the negative environmental and social impacts, but there will also be people that support the project on the grounds of the positive economic impacts. Ultimately, the decision-makers will be required to prioritise either the positive economic and social impacts or the negative environmental and social impacts,’ the executive summary of the project stated.

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