‘Turning a corner’: Eskom to boost capacity with revived Kusile units

With a glimmer of optimism that’s been rare these days, Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa couldn’t help but beam as he delivered the energy briefing on Sunday.

And South Africans who’ve been dealing with rolling blackouts lasting anything from two to eight hours (sometimes more…), could definitely do with a bit of a glimmer today.

Ramokgopa spoke about Kusile Power Station’s units and the crucial role they play in helping to keep the lights on across the country. Should we get our hopes up?

Kusile to the rescue

Kusile’s units 1, 2, and 3 were idled almost a year ago due to safety concerns and licensing restrictions.

Ramokgopa said the shutdown resulted in a loss of about 2 400 megawatts (MW) from the national grid. This added considerable strain, particularly during the high-demand winter months.

He explained the journey back to operational status for these units would be complex.

Since a mix of waste and water, known as ‘slurry,’ had built up inside the chimneys, it threatened the structural integrity of the infrastructure.

Interim measures were developed to expedite the units’ return to service, pending legislative exemption approval due to the potential increase in sulphur emissions.

Environmental and regulatory hurdles

But you might be wondering why all of this took so long.

Eskom had to request an exemption for these interim measures, leading to a public comment period.

The environmental impact of these emissions – as well as the well-being of the communities surrounding the Kusile power station – were central to the exemption’s approval process.

With the green light given, mitigation measures for sulphur dioxide emissions were set in place, and the units are now slated for a 12-month interim operational period.

Ramokgopa said he was “really excited” about “turning the corner” in South Africa’s load shedding crisis.

READ: Eskom’s game plan to keep the lights on during the holidays

Future projections and timelines

Ramokgopa confirmed that Kusile Unit 3 is already up and running – two months ahead of schedule.

It is currently generating approximately 550 MW, with plans to ramp up to its full 800 MW capacity.

Units 1, 2, and 5 are also on track for re-commissioning in the coming months. This would maximise Kusile’s total output to 3 200 MW.

None of this would have been possible without National Treasury’s R254 billion in fiscal relief to support the energy sector’s stability, Ramokgopa said.

He said planned maintenance will continue to ensure the units remain reliable and healthy once they return to service.