The Department of Energy today, (Wednesday, August 25) emphatically denied that it is looking at the option of cancelling Kusile Power Station.
“I have consulted and re-consulted Mr Ompi Aphane, Acting DDG for Electricity, Nuclear and Clean Energy, with regard to the remarks that he is alleged to have made this morning. In this regard it is clear that what the media has reported is not an accurate reflection of what he actually said.
“Accordingly, the Department wishes to state categorically and without equivocation that Kusile Power Station is on the table. We are working with sister government departments and Eskom, among others, to make sure that Kusile happens. There is no viable option that is on the table to replace Kusile. In the absence of Kusile there will not be enough power into the SA electricity grid,” Spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said.
Mr Aphane has indicated that in the presentation to SANEA (SA National Energy Association) he indicated that the IRP (Integrated Resource Plan) is considering a range of scenarios in order to inform the actual investment plan (the so-called risk adjustment plan). He further indicated that a distinction has got to be made between a scenario and a plan. It is clear that Reuters (original authors of the purported remarks) misunderstood the difference. One of the scenarios that are being modeled relate to an option where only new coal fired power stations will be built and no renewable energy generation utilized. This, therefore, does not mean that government has made a decision not to build any new renewable energy power stations.
Finally, it is planned that the integrated resource plan will be concluded at the beginning of the fourth quarter after which more clarity will be proved on these difficult and yet important scenarios
Update - Kusile Power Station Project
Project: Kusile power station
Technology: Coal, dry cooling, flue gas desulphurisation
Output: 4 800MW (6 x 800MW units)
Location: Emalahleni
Completion date: 2017
Enquiries:
Bheki Khumalo
Cell: 082 773 2388
