'A soaking rain': Medupi unit 4 returns to service eight months ahead of schedule

TimesLIVE

4 days ago

Eskom has announced that after nearly four years offline, Unit 4 of the Medupi Power Station is officially back online, eight months ahead of schedule and adding a much-needed 800MW to the national grid.
'Eskom is pleased to announce that Unit 4 of the Medupi Power Station was successfully returned to service today at 8.29pm, adding 800MW to the national grid. This milestone strengthens South Africa's energy security and enhances the stability of electricity supply,' the power utility said in a statement on Monday.
The unit had been offline since August 8 2021, after a catastrophic explosion that destroyed its generator stator.
The early return was made possible through what Eskom calls 'strategic, cost-effective measures', including the sourcing of a refurbished generator stator from the Netherlands.
'To avoid the costly delays associated with the lengthy delivery time of a new generator stator, Eskom sourced a used stator from the Netherlands as an interim solution, enabling the early return to service of Medupi Unit 4,' said the utility.
The refurbished component was transported about 1,000km by road from Richards Bay to the Limpopo-based station, a logistical feat accomplished by Eskom Rotek Industries.
'With the return of Unit 4, all six units at Medupi are now operational and will contribute a combined capacity of 4,800MW to the national grid once the unit reaches full output in the coming weeks,' said Eskom.
Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane hailed the return of the unit as a major milestone in the utility's broader strategy to stabilise energy supply.
'This achievement moves us closer to consistently overcoming load-shedding, which is now largely behind us due to structural improvements in the generation fleet, as we continue to build a more reliable, resilient, and sustainable power system,' said Marokane.
He added that the success reflected steady progress in Eskom's Generation Operational Recovery Plan, which aims to improve long-term energy availability.
Despite recent weeks of relief from rolling blackouts, Eskom reiterated that load-shedding could return if unplanned breakdowns climb above 13,000MW.
According to its winter outlook published on May 5, no load-shedding is expected if breakdowns remain under the threshold. However, should unplanned outages reach 15,000MW, the country could face up to 21 days of stage 2 load-shedding during winter.
Eskom Group Executive for Generation Bheki Nxumalo praised the teams involved in the repairs.
'Eskom applauds the Medupi team, support staff, and all execution partners for their dedication and professionalism, including the daunting task of safely transporting the 400-ton generator stator. Their achievement serves as a motivation for our teams as we advance our recovery efforts,' said Nxumalo.
Medupi Power Station, located in Lephalale, Limpopo, is one of the world's largest dry-cooled, coal-fired plants.
It uses advanced supercritical technology to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact, particularly critical in water-scarce regions.
The station is also built with environmental considerations, including low nitrogen oxide burners and infrastructure that allows for future installation of flue gas desulphurisation technology, which will cut sulphur dioxide emissions by over 90%.
'True to its name meaning 'rain that soaks parched lands, bringing economic relief' Medupi continues to play a vital role in supporting South Africa's economic growth and development,' said Eskom.
Eskom said during its construction over R2.9bn was invested in socioeconomic development in local communities.
'Since its inception, more than R145m has been allocated to corporate social investment programmes, benefiting over 80,000 people, with a strong focus on rural development, education and health care infrastructure,' said Eskom.