Eskom Clarifies The Possibility of Stage 13 Load Shedding In South Africa.
Image Source: Eskom Power Plant – Kusile Power Station (Via SundayWorld)
Published by: Dimphotsentle Pule
A warning from the German consultancy group, VGBE Energy, emphasised that Eskom must urgently fix and enhance its water treatment facilities, or else it could lose more than 13,000MW, equivalent to 13 stages of load shedding, from the grid.
However, Eskom claimed there might be inaccuracies in the report. The German engineers took around four and a half months checking out Eskom’s coal plants one by one, figuring out what tweaks could make each station work better. They were particularly concerned about the poor state of many of Eskom’s water treatment plants at some of its largest power stations.
Take, for instance, the Medupi and Matimba power stations—they both rely on the same raw water treatment plant. However, this facility is deteriorating, unable to meet the full capacity needs of both stations. The engineers emphasized the critical need for, at a minimum, maintenance and upgrades to this plant. Should it fail, 12 units, totaling 9,800 MW capacity, would be forced offline.
Additionally, the present water supply is inadequate for installing the wet flue gas desulfurization plant required for the Medupi and Matimba sites by 2025. The Kendal water treatment plant is also in a deteriorated state and requires immediate maintenance and refurbishment. The Kendal water treatment plant is in dire need of maintenance and refurbishment. If it were to fail, six units, totaling 3,840 MW of capacity, would be out of commission.
In total, if these struggling water treatment plants were to fail, it would result in a staggering 13,640 MW of generation being offline. This would lead to South Africa experiencing its highest-ever level of load-shedding, reaching a record-breaking stage 13.
Eskom’s Response
In response to the report, Eskom has stated that while they engaged with the investigation conducted by VGBE and acknowledged its findings, they do not entirely agree with all aspects of the report. Eric Shunmagum, a senior manager at Eskom’s Group Executive Generation Office, emphasized that the utility is committed to correcting any inaccuracies present in the report.
Shunmagum clarified that there is no shared water treatment plant between the Medupi and Matimba power stations, contrary to what the report suggested. He further stated that there is no immediate critical maintenance required for their water treatment plants that could pose a risk of shutdown for the power stations.
He reassured that Eskom is actively addressing many of the issues highlighted in the report and that steps are being taken to resolve them. It’s important to note that the report’s findings are based on Eskom’s operational status from March to May 2023. Since then, Eskom has implemented a new energy plan, including a significant increase in planned maintenance, subsequent to the report’s delivery in September 2023.
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