Eskom has made a significant move towards alleviating load shedding in South Africa by adding 800MW of new capacity to the national grid.
This achievement follows Eskom’s connection of Kusile Power Station’s final unit, Unit 6, to the grid on Sunday, 23 March, at 16:45.
A Crucial Milestone in Eskom’s Capacity Expansion
According to Eskom, this addition is a critical milestone in Eskom’s ongoing efforts to increase electricity generation.
The successful connection of Unit 6 is part of Eskom’s plan to add 2,500MW of new capacity by March 2025.
This will significantly help address the country’s electricity challenges.
Kusile Power Station, one of South Africa’s largest infrastructure projects, will eventually contribute 4,800MW to the national grid once fully operational.
The completion of this power station is integral to Eskom’s efforts to stabilise the country’s electricity supply and reduce the frequency of load shedding.
Generation Recovery Plan
Eskom’s Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, called this achievement a vital step.
He stated that Eskom is in a constrained state, and the added capacity is crucial for improvement.
He commended the employees and contractors for their resilience and unwavering dedication.
Their efforts were crucial in reaching this milestone despite numerous challenges.
Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan aims to improve generation performance and secure long-term energy sustainability for South Africa with Unit 6’s addition.
This plan focuses on improving Eskom’s ability to meet growing energy demands and support the country’s economic growth.
Environmental Responsibility and Innovation at Kusile
BusinessTech reported that Eskom will test and optimise Kusile Unit 6 over the next six months following its connection to the grid.
The unit will reach full commercial operation in the second half of 2025, when its 800MW capacity will be fully integrated into Eskom’s generation fleet.
Kusile Power Station is also notable for its environmental innovations.
It is the first power station in South Africa and Africa to use Wet Flue Gas Desulphurisation (WFGD) technology.
This technology helps reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.
This system ensures compliance with air quality standards and aligns with global best practices.
This demonstrates a commitment to energy security and environmental responsibility.
Medupi Power Station Progress
In addition to Kusile, Eskom’s other major new-build project, Medupi Power Station, is also progressing toward delivering additional capacity.
Eskom expects Unit 4 at Medupi to return 800MW to the grid by the end of April 2025, after an extended outage caused by a generator stator failure.
Once both Kusile and Medupi are fully operational, South Africa’s most recent power station projects will be essentially complete.
Eskom’s Commitment to Load Shedding Reduction
Dan Marokane, Eskom’s Group Chief Executive, reassured South Africans that Eskom is committed to reducing load shedding.
These significant steps bring the utility closer to achieving that goal.
“We reiterate our commitment to ensuring that South Africa does not return to the levels of load shedding experienced in 2023,” Marokane said.
“Our focus remains on delivering a more reliable, resilient, and sustainable power system for the country.”
Do you believe this will help reduce load shedding in the long term?
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