Why many IPPs’ environmental plans fail to meet EIA rules

Not all IPPs in SA are following updated rules around submitting environmental management plans

Many Environmental Management Plans (EMPRs) submitted by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in South Africa still fail to meet updated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations, creating confusion over when amendments are required.

This is according to Sindiswa Dlomo, Control Environmental Officer at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), who spoke during the Environmentally Responsible Wind Development session at Windaba 2025.

Dlomo shared common weaknesses and gaps that they identify in environmental management plans.

‘’Many people are still used to doing things the old way, so EMPRs are often submitted in the pre-2014 format (as amended in 2021), where everything is clustered together and there are no clear actions or objectives,’’ she said.

Updated EIA regulations require clear actions and objectives

She said that this makes it difficult to determine whether a proposed change affects an action or an outcome.

If what is labeled as an “objective” is actually an outcome, and the change only modifies an action without affecting the outcome, a formal amendment to the EMPR may not be required.

‘”So I think that’s something we still need to nip in the bud and fix, so that the industry is aligned on how EMPRs should be structured.

“This will make it easier to implement them, make necessary changes when required, and allow us, as the competent authority, to provide the proper guidance on which processes need to be followed.”

Cover photo:  The 34.5MW Wesley-Ciskei Wind Farm was built during COVID-19 lockdown, as part of REIPPPP Bid Window 4. Source: EDF Renewables.