Eskom Adds 800 MW to South African Grid

South Africa’s power utility Eskom has added 800 MW of power to the national grid with the addition of a new generating unit at the Kusile power station.

Kusile’s unit 5 generator achieved commercial operation on June 30, increasing the power station’s output to 4,000 MW.

“Kusile Unit 5 makes an extremely valuable contribution to the national grid,” stated Eskom General Manager System Operator Isabel Fick, adding, “Not only is it one of the largest baseload units contributing megawatts, but it also enhanced the stability of the network through its nature.”

Upon completion, the Kusile power station will comprise six units, contributing a total 4,800 MW to South Africa’s national grid. Unit 6 is expected to be synchronized to the grid by November 2024.

Once fully operational, Kusile will be the fourth-largest power station in the world.

The 800 MW baseload addition to Kusile serves as part of Eskom’s plans to add up to 2,500 MW to the utility’s power generation mix by the end of 2024.