State-owned enterprise Eskom is on track to recover three generation units before the end of October in a bid to improve its generation capacity.
This is the view of the Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
He was speaking at a media briefing on Monday at the GCIS media offices in Hatfield, Pretoria, which addressed the implementation of the ministerial energy action plan.
Ramokgopa said both the Medupi power station’s Unit 4 and Koeberg power station’s Unit 2 will be returned to service before the end of September.
The plans were afoot to synchronise the Kusile power station’s Unit 6 before the end of October, according to Ramokgopa.
Steam generator replacement
The Medupi power station’s Unit 4 will provide Eskom with 800 megawatts (MW), while the Koeberg power station’s Unit 2 will provide the power utility with an additional 980MW.
With regards to work at the Koeberg power station’s Unit 2, Ramokgopa said the steam generator replacement was progressing well.
“The three old steam generators have been removed, and the new steam generators are currently being placed into position, ready for welding,” he said.
He stated that before the end of October, Eskom would have an additional generation capacity of 2 580MW.
Ramokgopa did hasten to add that loadshedding remains a risk, despite it being suspended until further notice since March 28.
“While all efforts are being made to sustain the current performance through continuous and sustained improvements to the generation system, loadshedding remains a risk.”
26th day in a row without loadshedding
Eskom, the minister added, also planned to restore more than 3 000MW before midnight on Monday in order to improve the generation capacity of the power utility.
Monday is the 26th day in a row that loadshedding has not affected the nation, according to Ramokgopa.
“That is the longest continuous stretch of no loadshedding since April 10 2022, when we had 28 days of no loadshedding,” he said.
On Sunday, Eskom said the suspension of loadshedding was attributed to sustained generation capacity and adequate emergency reserves.