Medupi, Kusile require R33bn to complete commissioning, remedial work

Medupi power station. Source: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

“All six Medupi [generation] units have reached the stage of commercial operation and the current focus is on completing the balance of the plant and remedial works. Four out of six Kusile [generation] units are in commercial operation and the current focus is on completing the commissioning of the remaining two units.

“Eskom’s intention is to complete the remaining scope of work at Medupi and Kusile within the current project budgets approved by the current Eskom board,” he said.

Defects in the designs of both power stations have led to a delay in the completion of both.

“Eskom is making steady progress in developing and implementing effective technical solutions to the major technical defects at both power stations. As a result, the availability and reliability of the commissioned units at Medupi and Kusile is improving on an ongoing basis," said Ramaphosa.

Eskom board in for overhaul amid record power outages

27 Sep 2022

Flawed designs

He noted that although there is improvement, the defects in the plants bear a heavy toll on the national grid.

“These power stations being built…are really complex processes and at times when they are not well designed they even become more complex. It’s something that we have been suffering from because the design defects have actually contributed to a large extent to the load shedding that we’re currently having,” he said.

Ramaphosa said there are processes underway to investigate “what resulted in the flawed designs, flawed operational capability of some of these plants” and also looking at potential “overpricing as well as corruption that got underway”.