Eskom’s capacity expansion programme for growth continuing at a pace

Eskom says it is making major strides with its capacity expansion programme.

“We started the capacity expansion programme in 2005‚ to build new power stations and increase high-voltage transmission power lines and transformer capacity to meet South Africa’s rising demand for electricity‚ and also to diversify our energy mix.

 “The programme‚ which started with the return-to-service (RTS) programme and is currently expected to be completed by 2022‚ will increase installed generation capacity by 17‚384MW‚ transmission lines by 9‚756km and substation capacity by 42‚470MVA‚” the electricity parastatal says.

Since inception‚ it says it has increased installed generation capacity mainly through the RTS programme and most recently‚ Medupi Unit 6 and Ingula Unit 4. Transmission lines have increased by 6‚162km and substation capacity by 32‚090MVA.

“The positive performance on capacity milestones is due to a number of milestones being achieved either on time or ahead of schedule‚ such as the synchronisation of Ingula Units 3‚ 4‚ 2 and 1 respectively; the commercial operation of Ingula Unit 4; the completion of the Kusile Unit 1 draught group run by the end of March 2016; and the earlier than planned achievement of the Medupi Unit 5 boiler hydro test and back-energisation.

“The construction of transmission lines and substation capacity commissioned exceeded target‚ mainly due to successful schedule management by our project managers and contractor performance exceeding expectations‚” Eskom adds..