Power utility Eskom said has announced the transfer of Unit 5 of the Kusile Power Station from the new build programme to operations in the Generation Division.
The unit will now begin contributing power, increasing Kusile Power Station's total output to 4,000MW, the utility said in a statement.
Eskom System Operator general manager Isabel Fick said Kusile Unit 5 would make a valuable contribution to the national grid.
She said Unit 5 was one of the largest baseload units contributing megawatts, but it also enhanced the stability of the network through its nature.
Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom Group Executive for Generation said that the delivery of the unit showed the remarkable achievements possible when 40,000 employees work together as a collective.
“I extend my gratitude to all Eskom employees and contractors for their diligent work in bringing this unit to commercial operation. This achievement aligns with our commitment to maximising grid capacity," he added.
Dan Marokane, Eskom Group Chief Executive also added praise on the project and said that Eskom will continue to focus on the Generation Operational Recovery Plan.
“We stated in our winter outlook, published on April 26, 2024, that we would add new generation capacity to the grid with Kusile Power Station Unit 5, as part of our intense focus on delivering the Generation Operational Recovery Plan, which was approved by the Board and initiated in March 2023.
“This addition is part of a total of 2,500MW that will be added before the end of this calendar year," Marokane said.
“Eskom will continue to focus on implementing operational recovery, strengthening governance and future proofing the organisation to enable energy security, growth and long term sustainability to the benefit of South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa," he said.
Eskom said that when completed, the Kusile Power Station will consist of six units, producing a maximum of 4,800MW.
Upon completion, Kusile Power Station will consist of six units, producing a maximum of 4,800MW.
Load shedding
The new Eskom leadership led by Marokane has managed to keep the lights on for 96 days without load shedding.
The country has experienced 1,656 hours of load shedding in 2024, according to The Outlier.
In 2023, South African experienced 6,947 hours of load shedding. This amounted to over 332 days with load shedding.
IOL