Coal-fired power station planned for St Philips

MBABANE – Kanona Power Station Eswatini (Pty) Ltd has announced plans to establish a coal-fired power station near St Philips.

According to a public notice issued yesterday, the proposed project will be subjected to an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment as required under the Environmental Management Act of 2002, read together with the Environmental Assessment Regulations of 2022.

The assessment is intended to identify and evaluate potential positive and negative environmental and social impacts associated with the proposed power station.

As part of the ESIA process, Kanona Power Station Eswatini will convene a public scoping meeting to engage with communities, stakeholders and other Interested and Affected Parties (IAPs).

The scoping exercise is designed to provide a platform for the public to share views on the project, including its potential environmental and social implications, proposed mitigation measures and possible positive enhancements.

The scoping meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday at Ngoni eMphakatsini in KuMamisa, starting at 9am. The company stated that the exercise is statutory and forms a critical component of promoting environmental protection, conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.

It also allows for early identification of key issues that may need to be addressed before the project can proceed to subsequent approval stages.

Members of the public and all interested stakeholders have been formally invited to attend the meeting or to submit written comments as part of the consultation process. The proponent has indicated that further details regarding the proposed coal-fired power station will be presented during the scoping meeting.

Coal-based power generation projects have historically attracted strong public interest due to their potential implications for air quality, water resources, land use and surrounding communities.

As a result, the scoping phase is expected to draw attention from environmental groups, local residents and energy sector stakeholders.

The global approach to coal-fired power is polarised: Nearly 60 countries have severely curtailed new projects since 2015, driven by climate goals.

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