After years of setbacks, South Africa’s energy security and its landscape have finally turned the corner with Eskom’s Kusile Power Station now able to operate at full commercial capacity.
This is the message by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who delivered an address to Eskom workers at the power station on Friday.
The power station is located in the Nkangala District Municipality of Mpumalanga.
The President conducted a working visit to the power station to witness progress made in restoring South Africa’s energy security and later, following a tour of the facility, delivered remarks to the Eskom workforce and leadership.
In September last year, the power station’s Unit 6 reached commercial operation, adding some 800MW to the grid.
“It is a pleasure to be here to bear witness to the great strides Eskom has made towards restoring our country’s energy security.
“Kusile means ‘the dawn has come’, which speaks directly to this moment in our national journey. Kusile’s performance benchmarks are impressive. It is now one of the most reliable stations in the Eskom fleet, achieving an average Energy Availability Factor of 74%, increasing to 90% on occasion,” the President said in his written remarks.
The commercial operation of Kusile Unit 6 marked the end to the power utility’s Build Programme, which included the Medupi Power Station in Limpopo.
When at full operational capacity, the two power stations together generate some 9 600MW for the national grid.
The President described the massive power stations – designed to be among the biggest in Africa and the world – as the “backbone of South Africa’s energy supply”.
“When operating at full capacity, these two stations are capable of delivering 9 600 megawatts. Both of these stations are designed for an operational lifespan of 50 years and will remain key to South Africa’s electricity supply for many years to come.
“What has been achieved here at Kusile – and indeed across all Eskom’s power stations – is a testament to discipline, consistency and resilience,” President Ramaphosa said on Friday.
