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ActionSA conducted an oversight visit to the Kusile Power Station yesterday, Thursday, 15 February 2024. The visit confirmed what we have always known about Kusile Power Station which has been plagued by technical problems, defects and corruption over the years.

As such, ActionSA President, Herman Mashaba, will, next week Thursday 22 February 2024, unveil ActionSA’s plan to bring an end to loadshedding.

During the visit, we discovered that since 17 September 2022, Kusile Power station experienced a fire in the gas air heater of Unit 5 during a commissioning exercise. To date, the cause of the fire is still unknown. This is deeply concerning as his seems to be a recurring problem. A few years ago, the power station experienced a similar incident in Unit 2 which resulted in a further12-month delay of completion of the plant. 

In addition to this, the SOE sited technical issues and major plant defects, which have the potential to significantly reduce the Energy availability in multiple units, as reasons for the delay of the completion of the plant to date.

The five major plant defects at Kusile include the following:

·Kusile Pulse Jet Fabric Filter Plant (PJFF) poor performance due to inadequate pulsing system and flue gas flow entry;

·Kusile Gas Air Heater (GAH) mechanical performance, erosion, and operational performance in terms of ash carryover and outlet temperature stratification;

·Kusile Furnace Exit Gas Temperature resulting in excessive Reheater Spray Water flow;

·Kusile Milling plant defects; and

·Kusile Air and Flue Gas ducting erosion.

In the midst of the increasingly ubiquitous bouts of loadshedding, which already have a devastating impact on the economy and day to day lives of South Africans, it was disappointing to learn that the SOE only envisages getting Unit 5 online by December 2024 which regrettably means more loadshedding in the months to come.

As ActionSA, we urge the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) that is investigating instances of corruption and conflicts of interest related to the Medupi and Kusile, with 29 contracts valued at R135 billion under review, to expedite the process which we hope will lead to prosecutions. It should be considered treason for this SOE under the ANC-led government to continue to arrest the growth and development of South Africa. 

An ActionSA government will turn the tide and secure our energy future and propel South Africa into a new age of prosperity and economic growth.

Issued by ActionSA Mpumalanga Premier Candidate Thoko Mashiane