The Proposed Broadlands Solar PV2 Facility and Associated Infrastructure near Polokwane, Limpopo Province

Broadlands Solar PV2 (Pty) Ltd, is proposing the construction of a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy facility, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility, Main Transmission Substation (MTS), Loop-In-Loop-Out (LILO) grid connection, and ancillary / associated infrastructure, including electrical grid infrastructure (herein referred to as Broadlands Solar PV2 Facility). The solar PV facility will comprise several arrays of PV panels and associated infrastructure and will have a contracted capacity of up to 240 MWAC. The town of Polokwane is located approximately 26 km northeast of the proposed development the Limpopo Province.

The proposed Broadlands Solar PV2 Facility will cover approximately 1253 ha and will include the following infrastructure:
• PV modules and mounting structures.
• Inverters and transformers.
• Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
• Perimeter, access and internal roads (between 6 m and 8 m wide).
• Supporting infrastructure such as operations and maintenance building/office, switch gear and relay room, staff lockers and changing room, security control, and offices.
• Temporary and permanent laydown areas.
• For health, safety and security reasons, the facility will be required to be fenced off from the surrounding farms.
• Facility grid connection infrastructure, including:
o Underground or overhead cabling between project components of up to 132 kV;
o An on-site IPP facility substation and switching substation of up to 132kV;
o A Main Transmission Substation (MTS) up to 400 kV (with a development footprint of approx. 40ha) . Two alternative location points have been identified for assessment.
o Single / double circuit overhead power lines of up 132 kV linking the proposed facility substation / Eskom switching station to the on-site Main Transmission Substation (MTS). Two alternative grid connection corridors of up to 600 m wide and up to 11 km long have been identified for assessment.
o 400 kV Loop-In-Loop-Out (LILO) powerlines to connect the MTS to the existing Eskom 400 kV lines to the east of the proposed development area. Two alternative LILO connection corridors of up to ranging between 850 m and 2.3 km wide and up to 4.3 km long have been identified for assessment. One LILO corridor is proposed for each alternative MTS position.

The proposed Broadlands Solar PV2 Facility is undergoing a Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment (S&EIA) process.

Province(s): Limpopo