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TimesLive reports that national state of disaster regulations published on Tuesday allow government to grant exemptions from load-shedding “where technically feasible” to essential infrastructure – if such exemptions will not result in an increased risk of higher stages of load-shedding.
The regulations list “essential infrastructure” as health infrastructure, including military health facilities; water infrastructure, including water treatment plants; rail and port infrastructure; food production and food storage facilities, where feasible; and critical electronic communications and broadcasting infrastructure. The regulations came into force as soon as they were published in the government gazette on Tuesday morning. The regulations also allow for the “streamlining” of applications and the decision-making process when it comes to environmental authorisations, waste management licences and atmospheric emission licences. They allow the government to bypass the National Environmental Management Act or other environmental laws – when it comes to upgrades, refurbishments, and repairs of existing energy infrastructure and existing generation, transmission and distribution facilities. Once exemptions or authorisations have been granted, they endure beyond the end of the state of disaster. The regulations also allow for directions for measures that would “remove impediments” to the construction of new generation capacity and for “streamlining and expediting” of applications and decision-making concerning energy generating projects. The regulations put in place oversight mechanisms to prevent corruption.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Franny Rabkin at TimesLive
- Read too, State of disaster: Government finalises regulations to 'minimise impact of load shedding', at News24
- En ook, Nuwe rampregulasies ‘niksseggend’, by Maroela Media
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page