Cape Town – Eskom has been granted an exemption to run the Kusile power station without meeting minimum emissions standards for sulphur dioxide until March 2025.
This exemption was sought after a chimney collapse at the power station caused a loss of 2 100 MW of capacity.
By running the units without Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) technology, which reduces sulphur dioxide emissions, Eskom can restore the capacity more quickly, potentially reducing load shedding by two stages by the end of the year.
The exemption has been extended by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, subject to conditions to mitigate the impact of sulphur dioxide emissions on air quality.
“As previously communicated, the temporary stack structures for unit 3 will be completed by November 2023, and for units 1 and 2 by December 2023. This will enable the return of 2 100 MW, further alleviating pressure on the power system and reducing load shedding by two stages,” eskom said in a statement.
Eskom welcomes the DFFE’s decision to grant the postponement of Minimum Emission Standards and the granting of the required Atmospheric Emission Licence pic.twitter.com/2GVFMwOVBr
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) June 24, 2023
However, a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) warned that running the units without FGD technology could result in additional sulphur dioxide emissions and lead to about 680 deaths per year. Eskom has stated that it will comply with the conditions and implement measures to mitigate the impact of emissions, News24 reported.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
