Lephalale - South African power utility Eskom said on Thursday it will do its utmost to have its new Medupi power plant generate electricity by the end of this year and ease pressure on the national grid, but admitted it will be a “huge challenge”.
“Medupi is on a tight schedule to deliver first power to the grid from its first unit by the end of 2013,” Eskom said in a presentation to journalists during a visit to the plant.
“Meeting the deadline will be a huge challenge due to quality issues on the Hitachi boiler contract and Alstom control and instrumentation contract, as well as labour unrest.”
Construction was suspended for several weeks earlier this year because of a violent strike and labour protests.
The plant, which was initially expected to generate first power in 2012, is crucial to the health of Africa's largest economy as it grapples with tight electricity supplies.
“We are doing everything in our power to meet the December 2013 target date,” Eskom said.
Medupi is the first new coal fired power station Eskom has built in 20 years and will add 4,800 MW, or more than 12 percent, to the grid by the time it is completed in 2016.
Eskom is walking a tightrope to keep power flowing to factories, mines and smelters that had to shut for several days five years ago when the grid nearly collapsed, costing the economy billions of dollars in lost output.
Electricity supplies are expected to remain tight until Medupi and another coal-fired plant, Kusile, becomes operational. - Reuters