Power utility Eskom has confirmed that construction work has started at the Safariland substation (not safari substation) and that the utility has undertaken an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and obtained the necessary environmental authorisation.

Part of the authorisation was the approval of the Draft Environmental Management Plan, it said.

The utility was responding to the preliminary report by the Green Scorpions.

The environmental affairs department was quoted on Tuesday as saying that Eskom appeared to have started building at its "Safari Sub-station" without an approved environmental management plan (EMP).

"Preliminary findings at the Eskom Safari Substation are that Eskom has commenced with construction without approval of the environmental management plan and construction activities are occurring outside the development footprint," the department said in a statement.

However, in a statement this afternoon, Eskom said: "Eskom can confirm that construction work has started at the Safariland substation (not safari substation) and that the utility has undertaken an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and obtained the necessary environmental authorisation.

Part of the authorisation was the approval of the Draft Environmental Management Plan."

The power utility added: "To this end, Eskom has not received the preliminary report from the Department of Environmental Affairs. We will be in a position to comment once we have gone through the report."