- Eskom connects Kusile power station to the national grid
- The Unit will add at least 800MW to the grid
- The station to undergo testing and optimisation over the next six months
South African state-owned electric utility Eskom has connected Unit 4 of the coal-fired Kusile power station to the national grid network. The Kusile power plant comprises six generating units and is expected to have a combined total capacity of 4,800MW when completed.
In a statement issued by Eskom, the utility said, “This synchronisation milestone means four generating units of the power station are now connected to the grid and will contribute an additional 800MW to the country’s power system once the unit is fully optimised, following a series of tests and other commissioning activities,”
Unit 4 of the plant will undergo testing and optimisation over the next six months before the official handover. The Kusile plant is the first power station to use the Wet Flue Gas Desulphurisation (WFGD) technology in South Africa. The WFGD technology reduces sulphur dioxide emissions from fossil-powered plants.