South African gas exploration company Renergen has seen Phase 2 of its Virginia Gas Project reach ‘Strategic’ status after it was designated a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) by the South African government.
Revealed in an announcement today (14th Dec), the award was granted under the Infrastructure Development Act (Act No. 23 of 2014) (IDA) and its amendments, gazetted by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille on 6th December 2022.
According to Renergen, the project will benefit from SIP status through processes relating to any application for approval, authorisation, licence, permission or exemption, and processes relating to any consultation and participation required by the relevant laws must, as far as possible, run concurrently.
Labelling the award as a ‘big step’ in the right direction for the company, Stefano Marani, CEO of Renergen, explained the benefits, “Being declared an SIP has many benefits, as it means the project now falls into the country’s strategic planning and significantly reduces approval times for all the licenses and regulatory approvals required for the development of Phase 2, including Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and water use license, to name a few.”
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