Eskom senior management has been commended for stabilising the power utility following a series of breakdowns that rocked the entity leading to rolling blackouts in the country.
This after Eskom announced that Unit 4 of the Medupi Power Station has been successfully returned to service, adding 800MW to the national grid.
The station, located in Lephalale in Limpopo, holds the distinction of being one of the world’s largest dry-cooled, coal-fired power plants.
“This milestone strengthens South Africa’s energy security and enhances the stability of its electricity supply,” said Energy analyst Ruse Moleshe, who was speaking on YOU FM Newshour.
In addition, Moleshe said that the return to service of the Unit is very significant to the national grid.
“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,” explained Moleshe.
She shared similar sentiments as the Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane that the return of Medupi Unit 4 marks a major milestone in the power utility’s strategic objective of achieving operational stability through the addition of 2 500MW to the grid and remaining committed to the Operational Excellence Programme.
“This achievement surely moves Eskom closer to overcoming load shedding, which is now largely in the past due to structural improvements in the generation fleet, as they continue to build a more reliable, resilient, and sustainable power system.
The unit had been out of service since 8 August 2021 after sustaining significant damage from the explosion of its Generator Stator, a key component in the operation of the generation unit,” remarked Moleshe.
Meanwhile, Eskom said that its system remains stable and continues to show resilience in meeting the winter demand.
The utility highlighted that while occasional system constraints do arise, they’re effectively managed, with sufficient emergency reserves available and strategically deployed during morning and evening peak periods.
“Eskom remains committed to strengthening grid reliability through the ongoing implementation of the Generation Recovery Plan, aimed at improving performance and ensuring long-term energy security.
Medupi continues to play a vital role in supporting South Africa’s economic growth and development.
During its construction, Eskom invested over R2.9 billion in socio-economic development initiatives aimed at addressing urgent needs within local communities,” read a statement from Eskom.
Since its inception, more than R145 million has been allocated to corporate social investment programmes, benefiting over 80 000 people, with a strong focus on rural development, education, and healthcare infrastructure.
