Grootvlei Power Station

Grootvlei Power Station in Grootvlei, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Grootvlei Power Station
CountrySouth Africa
LocationGrootvlei, Mpumalanga
Coordinates26°46′S 28°30′E
StatusOperational
Commission date1969
Owner(s)Eskom
Operator(s)
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Turbine technology
Power generation
Units operational2
Units planned6 × 200 MW
Nameplate capacity1,200 Megawatt[1]

History

The first of Grootvlei's six units was commissioned in 1969. In 1989 three units were mothballed and in 1990 the other three followed. Due to the power crisis being experienced in South Africa, Eskom decided to return the station to service. By 2008 three of Grootvlei's units were back online, providing 585MW to the national grid.[2]

Grootvlei's units 5 and 6 were the first test facilities for dry cooling in South Africa. Unit 6 has an indirect dry cooling system.

Power generation

The station consists of six 200 megawatts (270,000 hp) units for a total installed capacity of 1,200 megawatts (1,600,000 hp). The design efficiency at rated Turbine Maximum Continuous Rating is 32.90%

Crime

Mid-December 2022, at the request of the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, and President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of Defence Thandi Modise deployed a small contingent of SANDF troops at the station (besides at Camden, Majuba and Tutuka) to curb a growing threat of sabotage, theft, vandalism and corruption.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Grootvlei Power Station". Eskom. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  2. "National Response To South Africa's Electricity Shortage". Government of South Africa. January 2008. p. 9. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  3. Evans, Julia (4 January 2023). "A country 'ungovernable' — how Eskom plans to tackle the scourge of sabotage, fraud and corruption in 2023". Defend Truth. www.dailymaverick.co.za. Daily Maverick. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
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