President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday visit Eskom’s Kusile Power Station in Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga.
Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, as well as Eskom management, will accompany the President during the visit.
“This visit allows the President to witness progress made in restoring the nation’s energy security.
“The President will be provided with a comprehensive operational briefing from Eskom’s leadership and technical teams. The briefing will highlight the tangible advancements towards enhanced generation capacity,” the Presidency said in a statement.
In September last year, the power station’s unit 6 reached commercial operation, adding some 800MW to the grid and strengthening energy security.
“The President’s visit will affirm the dedication shown by the engineers, technicians, and workers at Kusile Power Station who were instrumental in the Eskom generation recovery efforts.
“The President will interact with all Eskom Power Station General Managers at the event,” the statement read.
Powering the nation
The commercial operation of Kusile Unit 6 marked the end to the power utility’s Build Programme which included the Medupi Power Station.
At the time, the Department of Electricity and Energy hailed the commercialisation, describing it as a “testament to overcoming intricate challenges within one of South Africa’s most ambitious construction projects”.
“With the combined output of Kusile and Medupi Power Stations now reaching 9 600MW, we are significantly enhancing our baseload electricity supply and reinforcing South Africa’s position as a leader in energy generation capacity across the continent.
“This achievement is a clear demonstration of government's commitment to energy security, noting that energy is an engine and strategic driver for economic recovery and development critical for job creation and alleviation of poverty and inequality in our country.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the engineers, contractors, and all stakeholders involved in ensuring that we finally reach this monumental accomplishment,” the department said.
Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane noted that both Medupi and Kusile continue to play a pivotal role in South Africa’s energy security.
“Medupi and Kusile will remain central to South Africa’s electricity supply for many years to come. Both stations are designed for an operational lifespan of approximately 50 years.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we are also accelerating efforts to expand our renewable energy portfolio to complement our baseload infrastructure. This is part of our broader strategy to repower the grid and reduce overall emissions,” Marokane said. – SAnews.gov.za
