Consultation on NamPower wind farm

A public meeting will be held at Lüderitz this week to discuss two wind power plants that NamPower intends to develop in the Tsau//Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park. The meeting will take place on Thursday at the Lüderitz Nest Hostel. Enviro Dynamics has been appointed to conduct an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) as required by the Namibian Environmental Management Act and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). During the process, all ecological and social issues will be considered and addressed.The NamPower Wind Farm project is a proposed alternative energy development based on wind electricity generation. There will be two plants, namely a 40-megawatt plant owned and operated by NamPower, and a 50-megawatt plant to be owned by an independent power producer (IPP). The NamPower plant will comprise of an estimated 16 turbine locations, while the IPP plant will comprise of an estimated 20 turbine locations. The estimated project lifetime is 25 years.According to a background information document, the site is located 25km south of Lüderitz in the Sperrgebiet diamond protection area and Tsau//Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park.The project will cover about 1 648 hectares, split into two areas. The document said the project will consist of 3 336 wind turbines, each of which will generate about 2.5 megawatts. It is expected that around 70 to 100 people will participate in the construction, of whom 70% will be unskilled workers.The ESIA will address the facilities required and the activities that will possibly take place on the site. These can include access and service roads, the transmission line from the site to the nearest proposed substation (Diaz Substation), the internal power network, the platforms and foundations for the wind turbines and the turbines themselves. It can also include the substation and storage facilities on site, the construction processes and resources required and the movement of materials to the site.Concerns that require attention during the ESIA are the impact on the vegetation and resulting biodiversity, bird and bat collisions with the turbines and impact on the brown hyena habitat and movements. Other concerns include impact on archaeology, the potential interference with civil aviation safety at the airport and impact on traffic and road conditions. “The Tsau//Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park is one of the world's top 25 biodiversity hotspots, due to unique and superabundant species of succulents, 234 of which are endemic and 284 of which are Red Data listed.”The document further stated that the Sperrgebiet is the most bio-diverse region in Namibia and the Succulent Karoo Biome, of which it is a part, supports more species of succulents than anywhere else on earth.The Sperrgebiet is also rich in diamond-mining history and is targeted to become a key tourist destination.The total cost of the project is estimated at N$1.053 billion. ELLANIE SMIT

Consultation on NamPower wind farm

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-30

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Consultation on NamPower wind farm

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-30

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