Page 8 - AfrElec Week 22 2022
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AfrElec COAL AfrElec
Eskom adds 800-MW Kusile
unit to commercial fleet
SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH Africa’s state-owned electricity com- on the remaining Kusile units 5 and 6 is pro-
pany Eskom has added a new 800MW unit to its gressing according to plan, Eskom said in the
grid, it said in a release on June 1. release.
Unit 4 of coal-fired Kusile Power Station had Reports say that of South Africa’s 46,000MW
been undergoing testing and optimisation over installed capacity 80% comes from coal facilities,
the past five months. Its joining of Eskom’s com- which makes the country one of the world’s big-
mercial fleet on May 31, the utility said in the gest burners of the heavily polluting fossil fuel.
statement, underlines its commitment to ease However, the country has set its sights on switch-
the power shortage in Africa’s most industrial- ing to cleaner energies.
ised economy. South Africa must spend $250bn to achieve
“This milestone means the construction of that target over the next 30 years, according to a
four out of the six generation units have now recent study by the local university Stellenbosch
been completed at the Kusile Power Station and Blended Finance Taskforce of Britain.
project,” said Bheki Nxumalo, the Eskom group The country’s coal facilities are aged as well,
executive for capital projects. resulting in frequent breakdowns. On May 31,
“The Kusile project team and Eskom are for example, Eskom announced that 1,976MW
working tirelessly to complete the rest of the were out on planned maintenance, while another
project without any further delays as the country 15,398MW was unavailable due to breakdowns.
needs every megawatt of power it can get.” Eskom is fitting wet flue gas desulphurisation
Kusile Power Station near eMalahleni in (WFGD) to the Kusile plant as an atmospheric
Mpumalanga, east of the country, will con- emission abatement technology, in line with cur-
sist of six units each producing 800MW. It is rent international practise, to ensure compliance
South Africa’s largest construction project and with air quality standards, making the facility
will be the world’s fourth-largest coal plant at more environmentally friendly.
completion. “Kusile is the first power station in South
Since its synchronisation in December 2021, Africa and Africa to use WFGD technology.
Unit 4 performed to expectation, intermittently WFGD is the state-of-the-art technology used
sending up to 720MW and contributing to to remove oxides of sulphur (SOx), for example,
reducing the implementation of loadshedding. sulphur dioxide (SO2), in the emissions of power
Construction and commissioning activities plants that burn coal or oil,” it said.
P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 22 02•June•2022
