Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa (Foto: Siyabulela Duda / GCIS)
South Africa’s energy security has taken a positive turn after years of setbacks, with Eskom’s Kusile power station now operating at full commercial capacity. This was the message of pres. Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit to the power station in the Nkangala District Municipality in Mpumalanga.
Ramaphosa visited the plant on Friday to ascertain the progress with the restoration of the country’s power supply and then addressed Eskom’s workers and management.
The sixth unit of Kusile already reached commercial operation in September last year and contributed about 800 MW to the national power grid, says Ramaphosa.
“It is a pleasure to be here to see first-hand the great progress Eskom has made in restoring our country’s energy security,” said Ramaphosa. “Kusile means ‘the day has come’, which speaks directly to this moment in our national journey.”
According to him, Kusile is now “one of the most reliable power stations in Eskom’s fleet”, with an average energy availability factor of 74%, which sometimes rises to 90%.
The completion of Kusile’s sixth unit also brings an end to Eskom’s construction programme, which includes the Medupi power station in Limpopo. Together, these two power stations can supply around 9,600 MW to the national grid.
Ramaphosa described the two plants as the “backbone of South Africa’s energy supply”. “When they produce at full capacity, these two stations can produce 9,600 MW,” he said.
He went on to say that the achievements at Kusile and other Eskom power stations are “proof of discipline, consistency and resilience”.
However, the president admitted that the completion of Kusile was not without problems. “Kusile has been plagued by challenges almost throughout its life, including cost overruns, technical problems and issues with contractor performance,” he said.
He added that the commission of inquiry into state capture “uncovered widespread corruption and looting at Kusile which almost financially ruined Eskom”.
The Kusile Power Station near eMalahleni in Mpumalanga. (Photo: Phill Magakoe/AFP)
However, Ramaphosa says the country has learned valuable lessons. “This experience has strengthened our determination to ensure that projects of this magnitude meet the highest standards of management, financial control and accountability.”
He urged Eskom’s management and workers to make sure that “power stations and all our strategic assets are managed with integrity and forward-thinking”.
Ramaphosa also referred to the severe load-shedding crisis in 2022, which “disrupted people’s lives, curbed economic growth and undermined business and investor confidence”.
Now, however, the situation has improved, with South Africa on the threshold of 365 days without load shedding and an energy availability factor that has risen to 65% – about 4% higher than a year ago.
“The improved energy supply in South Africa is a welcome relief for millions of households and businesses,” he said. “It forms part of a broader economic recovery that creates new confidence among investors.”
He says that energy security is “vital to the safety and well-being of our nation” and that it supports economic growth, job creation and stability.
“This is why we are undertaking the most far-reaching reform of our electricity sector in more than a century, which will modernize our energy system, enable new investment and lower the cost of electricity for all South Africans,” said Ramaphosa.