RICHARDS Bay’s future looks positively electrifying as the City of uMhlathuze prepares to become the ‘gas hub’ of South Africa.
The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) and municipality is wasting no time to get the 2 000 megawatts liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power plant project off the ground, following the announcement of the lucrative deal last week by energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson at the SA Gas Options conference in Cape Town.
Coega in the Eastern Cape is the only other SA port that will house a gas-fired power plant, but will be half the size producing 1 000 megawatts of energy.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, city mayor Mduduzi Mhlongo said there are already three suitable sites for the development, which requires 20 hectares of land.
‘The site must still get approval by council, but we have made a firm commitment to this mega investment that will result in a drastic change to the economic landscape in the city.
‘It is guaranteed to produce thousands of jobs during construction and hundreds of permanent job opportunities on completion.
‘The city will also work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that local business people benefit and the local economy is boosted from the ground up.
‘This is our time.’
Read the full story in the ZO Weekender edition.
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