The green-fields, coal-fired power plant, located near the Kendal power station in Witbank, Mpumalanga, comprises six units, each capable of an 800mw installed capacity. It is due for completion in 2022.
The plant is the first in Africa to implement clean fuel technology such as flue-gas desulphurisation, a state-of-the-art technology that removes oxides of sulphur, such as sulphur dioxide, from exhaust flue gases.
According to a statement from Eskom: "The connection of Unit 1 of Kusile comes at a time when Eskom has incrementally been building excess capacity to ensure security of power supply."
Eskom’s interim group chief executive, Matshela Koko, said: “Eskom has focused on lessons learnt from its past history of new build projects and this has led to this early synchronisation. Our build programme is now delivering ahead of our re-baseline schedule, our operations have stabilised and as a result, we are in a position of surplus capacity. I therefore invite business to invest in the economy because the availability of electricity is no longer a constraint to the growth of the economy.
"Excess capacity has enabled Eskom to increase its electrification target to over 200,000 households by end of March 2017, against the target of 169,722 that has been set for it by the department of energy."
Meanwhile, energy expert, Chris Yellend told EWN that "at present, the current (cost) estimates for Kusile is about R200bn, which is about 100% over budget".
In addition to Unit 6 of the Medupi power station which been operating for over a year now, Eskom’s new build programme has also added 1,332MW from all four units of the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, as well as the sychronisation of Medupi Unit 5.
At the same time, Eskom has also increased its electricity exports to neighbouring states, many of which have had their hydro scheme adversely affected by the drought. Eskom’s electricity sales to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe rose 31,6% in the six months to 30 September 2016.
