Kusile Power Station
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Kusile is a coal-fired power station close to the existing Kendal power station in the Delmas municipal area of the Mpumalanga province. Kusile is the second most advanced coal-fired power plant project in Eskom after Medupi power station in Lephalale where construction commenced in 2007. As a rule, a coal-fired power station takes about eight years to build. The station will consist of six units each rated at approximately 800 MW installed capacity giving a total of 4800 MW. As such it will be one of the largest coal-fired power stations in the world, once finished. The power station will be coal fired, with the coal supplied by a new colliery near the power station. Anglo Coal South Africa has committed, in a letter of intent, to supply the 17 million tons of coal, over a period of 47 years through its empowerment subsidiary Anglo Inyosi Coal. The coal will be supplied from the New Largo reserve, with supporting coal from the Zondagsfontein East No.2 seam, a middlings product, and also from the Zondagsfontein East No. 4 seam and the Zondagsfontein West resource, where further exploration is ongoing. The initial coal supplies are expected to be delivered in 2011. The New Largo operation will consist of two draglines and mini-pit operations. Another interesting aspect to this project is that it will be the first power station in South Africa to have Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) installed. FGD is the current state-of-the art technology used to remove oxides of sulphur (SOx), e.g. sulphur dioxide (SO2), from the exhaust flue gases in power plants that burn coal or oil. Eskom is fitting FGD to the Kusile plant as an atmospheric emmission abatement technology, in line with current international practice, to ensure compliance with air quality standards, especially since the power station is located in a priority airshed. The FGD Plant is a totally integrated chemical plant using limestone as feedstock and producing gypsum as a by-product. Gypsum is used in the manufacture of dry walls and ceilings. The first unit is planned for commercial operation in 2014. The other units will be commissioned in approximately 8-month intervals with the last unit expected to be in commercial operation by 2018. To date, the project is still on schedule to meet the target date. The site is about 5 200 hectares in size. It is located on the farms Hartbeesfontein and Klipfontein and was previously used for agriculture and cattle grazing. The clearing of the site started on 1 April 2008. The site clearance involved the following activities:
The site clearance will involve the moving of about 10.5 million cubic meters of soil and vegetation. To date, more than 6 million cubic meters of soil has been removed. The main construction involves power station buildings; administrative buildings such as control, medical, and security buildings; roads as well as a high-voltage yard. The likely associated infrastructure includes a water treatment works, a wastewater treatment works, access roads, railway line, water supply pipelines, a coal stockyard, limestone off-loading facilities, an ash disposal facility a coal and ash conveyor system, and water storage facilities. In the interim, given that that construction could involve as much as 8 500 people at peak, there will also be a great need for the building of temporary accommodation. Kusile Project currently employs over 3300 people, of which over 2700 people are local residents. The total number of graves that were relocated to amounted to 205. Regulatory and commercial processes In 2007, Eskom awarded contracts valued over R31bn for Kusile to Hitachi Power Africa for the boiler contract and to Alstom S&E for the turbine contract. In 2008, Eskom awarded the Main Civils contract valued at R2.9 billion to Kusile Civil Works Joint Venture. The Joint Venture comprises of the following construction companies: Stefanutti Stocks, Group 5, Basil Read and WBHO construction. The Site Services contract was awarded to an Eskom subsidiary, Roshcon. The contract entails the construction of site facilities, such as sewerage facilities and electricity reticulation among others. The Generation Transformers Contract was awarded to Siemens late in 2008. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) for this power station commenced in March 2006 and a Record of Decision (RoD) was obtained in June 2007 with a revised one being issued by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in March 2008 after dismissing the two appeals that were received against the original RoD. The Environmental Management Plan applied during the Construction period was approved by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on 4th December 2007. Eskoms application for a generating license was submitted to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) in May 2007 and has subsequently been approved. The EIA process involved the following studies:
Contact details For further information on Kusile power station please contact: Abram Masango FrenchieCollet-Serret Eskom Enterprises
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