2.0.

Policy and Legal Framework

2.1. Overview
Mauritius has developed and put in place several environmental policies that will safeguard the
environment from the different impacts of developments. Outlined below are the different
relevant legal, policy and institutional frameworks that will govern this particular project.

2.1.1. The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 2002

The EPA provides the legal framework and mechanism for the protection of
Mauritius’ environmental assets.

With regards to the EPA 2002, an EIA licence must be obtained for any
development that will impact the environment. Part IV of the Environment
Protection Act 2002, stipulates that “No proponent shall commence, proceed
with, carry out, execute, or conduct or cause to be commenced, proceeded with,
carried out, executed or conducted an undertaking specified in Part B or Part C
of the First Schedule, without an EIA licence”.

The proposed project being a PV solar farm corresponds to the classification

under the amendments of schedule, Part B of the EPA 2002, as “Power
generating plants”.

This Environmental Impact Assessment Report has been drafted with due
considerations paid to the guidelines set out in the “Proponent’s guide to
Environmental Impact Assessment 2004” and the undertaking will occur
following the same principles and methodology as for the EIA licence
referenced ENV/DOE/EIA/1646 granted in February 2015 for the
implementation of a 2MW solar farm on part of the land.

2.1.2. The Central Electricity Board Integrated Electricity Plan 2013-2022

The Plan implies that CEB will work towards an efficient balance between the
electricity demand and supply, while providing a safe and reliable power supply
at the lowest possible cost. Bearing in mind that philosophy, the CEB shall
actively participate in the implementation of a 10MW Energy system every 3
years starting from 2013.

2.1.3. National Development Strategy 2003

While the District Councils have their own guidelines to regulate developments,
the proposed project falls under the National Development Strategy (NDS)
section 11.5 regarding the Electricity production in Mauritius. The policies for
the electricity sector are as follows;

Policy E1 is aimed towards the choice of sites for the proposed power stations
bearing in mind the protection from future development, import of fuel,
closeness to the major demand centres.

4
 Policy E2 highlights the need for consideration during the planning stage for the
needs for service corridors and rights of way for power cable networks.

2.1.4. Other Project requirements

Prior to starting this particular development, Synnove Petite Retraite 8.64MW
Solar Expansion Ltd is aware that certain requirements are to be met and
clearances obtained from various statutory bodies.

• Land conversion permit (LCP): It is understood that the land was

previously used as a sugarcane field and was then left abandoned.
Subsequently land conversion permit was obtained by SSOL in June
2015 covering the whole plot of land for the development of PV solar
farm. The Land Conversion Permit has been annexed in Appendix H.
• Building and Land Use Permit for the development of the 8.64MWac
solar farm.

The project being an extension to the existing 2MW solar farm will therefore be
covered by some of the previous permits as well. Table 1 below highlights the
different permits and clearances obtained for the 2MW solar farm.
Table 1: Permits and Clearances Obtained for the Previous 2MW solar farm

Nr Permit/Clearance Reference Date obtained

1 EIA Licence ENV/DOE/EIA/1646 February 2015
2 Land Conversion Permit MAC/17489/85/6756 June 2015
3 Building Land Use Permit SG/0017/2015 September 2015
4 Waiver of condition 6 of EIA ENV/DOE/EIA/1645 & August 2015
Licence (Setback) 1646
5 RDA requirements RDA/R/46/FVB August 2015
6 Minimum setback requirements ENV/DOE/EIA/1646 July 2015