Cape Town – An explosion at Eskom’s Kriel Power Station in Mpumalanga affected Unit 6 but will not lead to load shedding, the power utility has confirmed.
According to social media posts, the power station’s unit 6 generator caught fire at around 17:30 on Sunday, 3 November 2024.
The fire, caused by an oil pipe burst, was quickly extinguished, and electricity supply remains stable, Eskom said, according to The Citizen.
ICYMI: Kriel Power Station’s Unit 6 caught fire yesterday at 17:30. Located in Mpumalanga, Kriel Power Station is a six-unit coal-fired power plant with a total capacity of 3,000 MW.
Loadshedding might come back in full swing…
See 2nd 📹 👇
https://t.co/oAUbxbAKNH pic.twitter.com/Em2burblTO— 🔞 SA911 (@Zulu72944051488) November 4, 2024
“It was an oil pipe that burst but all safe now. We are still assessing the unit at Kriel.
“We have more than enough capacity to cater for demand,” the report quoted Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena as saying.
However, energy expert Anton Eberhard expressed on X his doubts about the likelihood of repairs to Kriel’s Unit 6.
“Kriel power unit 6 caught fire last night – evidently from a burst oil pipe. I doubt it will be repaired.
“Kriel was commissioned in 1979 – 6 x 500MW. Eskom talks about extending the life of these old power stations but eventually they take themselves offline,” Eberhard said.
Kriel power unit 6 caught fire last night – evidently from a burst oil pipe. I doubt it will be repaired. Kriel was commissioned in 1979 – 6 x 500MW. @Eskom_SA talks about extending the life of these old power stations but eventually they take themselves offline. pic.twitter.com/V3tGtyOBYf
— Anton Eberhard (@AntonEberhard) November 4, 2024
Eskom credits its Generation Recovery Plan for driving efficiency gains, with recent milestones in operational performance and a seven-month suspension of load shedding.
Loadshedding suspended for over seven months: Unplanned outages at four-year low, diesel savings reach R13.7 billion year-on-year #GenerationRecoveryPlan #EndingLoadshedding pic.twitter.com/GR3brYZAcU
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) November 1, 2024
However, challenges such as network strain from illegal connections and vandalism persist, even as Eskom aims for a load shedding-free summer through March 2025.
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Picture: X/@AntonEberhard
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
