Eskom has added an additional 800MW to the grid by integrating Medupi unit 4 eight months ahead of schedule.
The reintegration contributes to the stability of the country’s electricity supply system, reducing the risk of load-shedding.
The power utility aimed to deliver 2,500MW of generation capacity by Sunday.
Medupi unit 4 went out of service when one of its key components exploded in August 2021. Extensive repairs were needed and one of the components, the generator stator, was refurbished instead of acquiring a new one, which would have involved lengthy delays. Eskom sourced a used stator from the Netherlands as an interim solution.
“With the return of unit 4, all six units at Medupi are now operational and will contribute a combined capacity of 4,800MW to the national grid once the unit reaches full output in the coming weeks,” Eskom said in a statement. “The return of Medupi unit 4 marks a major milestone in our strategic objective of achieving operational stability through the addition of 2,500MW to the grid.”
Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane said the return to service of unit 4 “moves us closer to consistently overcoming load-shedding, which is now largely behind us due to structural improvements in the generation fleet, as we continue to build a more reliable, resilient and sustainable power system”.
Medupi, located in Limpopo, is one of the world’s largest dry-cooled, coal-fired power plants. It features advanced supercritical technology that allows it to operate at higher temperatures, improving efficiency while reducing both coal and water consumption.
The power station is designed to recycle and reuse all water involved in the power generation process on-site. It is also equipped with low nitrogen oxide burners to minimise nitrogen oxide emissions.
The power station has been designed to accommodate future installation of flue gas desulphurisation technology, which will cut sulphur dioxide emissions more than 90%, further enhancing its environmental performance.
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