The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has announced its approval of an amendment to the Bidvest Tank Terminals (BTT) licence, allowing additional storage tanks to be installed at its loading facility in the Richards Bay port precinct.
According to Nersa, the amendment expands the Island View storage facility by adding two diesel storage tanks, each with a design capacity of 15 000 m³. This modification also updates the company’s licence conditions, increasing total storage capacity to 30 000 m³
The tanks are currently under construction and scheduled for completion this month.
“The amendment will also include the new site layout showing the updated details of the storage facility,” the regulator said.
Nersa previously authorised construction of the tanks on 10 April. As the project nears completion, the amendment seeks to integrate the tanks into the regulatory asset base of the licensed operation.
“The additional storage tanks are necessary from a customer demand perspective as they are being constructed following a request from a customer for additional capacity,” Nersa said.
The regulator approved BTT’s tariffs for its storage and loading facilities in Richards Bay on 6 November last year. The approved tariffs are applicable until 30 June 2027, the regulator said.
Nersa said the tariffs will remain in force until the energy regulator’s approval of new tariffs for BTT’s storage and loading facilities in line with Section 28(5)(b) of the Petroleum Pipelines Act, No 60 of 2003.
Nersa said its reasons for the recission document will be published on its website, www.nersa.org.za, in due course.