Electricity sector in South Africa

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Electricity sector of South Africa
Kusilekragsentrale, Mpumalanga, 2019, a.jpg
Kusile Power Station, the 10th Biggest Coal Power Station in the World

Power Station Maximum Generating Capacity as of 2019 [1]

Contents

  Coal (83%)
  Pumped Storage (6%)
  Gas (5%)
  Nuclear (4%)
  Hydro (2%)
  Wind (0.2%)

The Electricity sector in South Africa is an important part of energy in South Africa. [2] [3] [4] [5] [1] Most power stations in South Africa are owned and operated by the state owned enterprise, Eskom. These plants account for 80% of all the electricity produced in South Africa and 45% of all electricity produced on the African continent.

South Africa produced around 245,000 GWh of electricity in 2021. [6] [7] Most of this electricity is produced using coal and is consumed domestically. In 2022, 12,300 GWh were exported to Eswatini, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and othercountries participating in the Southern African Power Pool. [8] In 2022, South Africa imported 10,800 GWh from the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Power Station in Mozambique via the 1,920 MW Cahora Bassa (HDVC) Power Transmission System. [9] [10]

Electricity Production

The South African energy grid has around 60,000 MW of capacity, but with Eskom’s aging fleet of coal power stations, the country faces constant rolling blackouts as they are unable to meet the energy demand.

The National Grid

Coal Power Station make up 78% of the electricity grid, [11] so the carbon intensity of electricity generation is higher than most other countries at over 800 gCO2/kWh. [12]

Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants powered by diesel make up 5.9% of the energy grid and are use as peaking power plants. With the shortfall of energy production, although expensive, these power stations are used more often to reduce the rolling blackouts.

The remaining grid is made up of Wind (5.7%), Hydro (3.9%), Solar (3.6%), Nuclear (3.2%) and to a smaller degree, Biomass and Landfill Gas. [13]

History

Prior to the establishment of Eskom the provision of electricity was dominated by municipalities and private companies. The city of Kimberley was the first user of public electricity in South Africa when it installed electric streetlights run off a coal fired power plant in 1882 to reduce crime at night. [14] : 5  The first central power station and distribution system in South Africa consisting of a 150 kW generator with two boilers and located at Cape Town Harbour was completed in 1891 to supply power to government buildings in the nearby city. [15] In 1893 the town (now neighbourhood) of Wynberg in Cape Town opened a power station to provide power to a local tram system and public streetlights. [15] This was followed by the first municipal power station built by the City of Cape Town in 1895 with the construction of the Graaff Electric Lighting Works to power 775 streetlights. [16] Not all early power stations were successful, such as the short lived President Street Power Station in Johannesburg. Constructed in 1906, the use of unsuitable fuel in an experimental engine design lead to an explosion in 1907. [17]

Eskom was founded by the Electricity Act of 1922 which allowed for the establishment of a government owned non-profit company to provide electricity. In 1948 Eskom bought out the Victoria Falls and Transvaal Power Company with government support for £14.5 million (roughly equivalent to £2.55 billion in 2017) to become South Africa's primary electricity provider. Eskom dropped its non-profit mandate in the late 1970s and government control over the company was expanded in 1998 with the passing of the Eskom Amendment Act. [18] : 5–8 

Eskom

Eskom is a South African electricity public utility, established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) and also known by its Afrikaans name Elektrisiteits voorsienings kommissie (EVKOM), by the government of the Union of South Africa in terms of the Electricity Act (1922). Eskom represents South Africa in the Southern African Power Pool. The utility is the largest producer of electricity in Africa, [19] [20] is among the top seven utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and among the top nine in terms of sales. It is the largest of South Africa's state owned enterprises. Eskom operates a number of notable power stations, including Kendal Power Station, and Koeberg nuclear power station in the Western Cape Province, the only nuclear power plant in Africa. The company is divided into Generation, Transmission and Distribution divisions and together Eskom generates approximately 95% of electricity used in South Africa.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koeberg Nuclear Power Station</span> Nuclear power station in South Africa

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Eskom Hld SOC Ltd or Eskom is a South African electricity public utility. Eskom was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) (Afrikaans: Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie (EVKOM)). Eskom represents South Africa in the Southern African Power Pool. The utility is the largest producer of electricity in Africa, and was among the top utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and sales. It is the largest of South Africa's state owned enterprises. Eskom operates a number of notable power stations, including Matimba Power Station and Medupi Power Station in Lephalale, Kusile Power Station in Witbank, Kendal Power Station, and Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape Province, the only nuclear power plant in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cahora Bassa (HVDC)</span> HVDC power transmission system

Cahora-Bassa is a separate bipolar HVDC power transmission line between the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Generation Station at the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique, and Johannesburg, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electricity sector in China</span>

China is the world's largest electricity producer, having overtaken the United States in 2011 after rapid growth since the early 1990s. In 2021, China produced 8.5 petawatt-hour (PWh) of electricity, approximately 30% of the world's electricity production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medupi Power Station</span> Power station in South Africa

Medupi Power Station is a dry-cooled coal-fired power station built by Eskom near Lephalale in Limpopo province, South Africa. The station consists of 6 generating units with a nameplate capacity of 764 MW each bringing the total installed capacity of 4,584 MW.

Majuba Power Station between Volksrust and Amersfoort in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is a coal-fired power plant operated by Eskom. Majuba is Eskom's only power station that is not linked to a specific mine and it receives its coal from various sources. This was due to an error in geotechnical engineering core drilling which did not identify that the proposed local coal mine was under solid bedrock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cahora Bassa Dam</span> Dam in Tete, Mozambique

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in South Africa</span>

South Africa has a large energy sector, being the third-largest economy in Africa. The country consumed 227 TWh of electricity in 2018. The vast majority of South Africa's electricity was produced from coal, with the fuel responsible for 88% of production in 2017. South Africa is the 7th largest coal producer in the world. As of July 2018, South Africa had a coal power generation capacity of 39 gigawatts (GW). South Africa is the world's 14th largest emitter of greenhouse gases. South Africa is planning to shift away from coal in the electricity sector and the country produces the most solar and wind energy by terawatt-hours in Africa. The country aims to decommission 34 GW of coal-fired power capacity by 2050. It also aims to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030. South Africa aims to generate 77,834 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030, with new capacity coming significantly from renewable sources to meet emission reduction targets. Through its goals stated in the Integrated Resource Plan, it announced the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which aims to increase renewable power generation through private sector investment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in South Africa</span> Overview of the use of solar power in South Africa

Solar power in South Africa includes photovoltaics (PV) as well as concentrated solar power (CSP). As of July 2024, South Africa had 2,287 MW of installed utility-scale PV solar power capacity in its grid, in addition to 5,791 MW of rooftop solar and 500 MW of CSP. Installed capacity is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kusile Power Station</span> Largest Dry-cooled coal-fired power plant in the world

Kusile Power Station in South Africa is a coal-fired power plant by state electricity utility Eskom in Mpumalanga. The station consists of 6 generating units with an eventual nameplate capacity of 800 MW each bringing the total installed capacity of 4,800 MW; as of 2023, only 5 units are in operation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African energy crisis</span> Widespread national level rolling blackouts

South Africa's energy crisis is an ongoing period of widespread national blackouts of electricity supply. It began in the later months of 2007 towards the end of Thabo Mbeki's second term as president, and continues to the present. The South African government-owned national power utility, and primary power generator, Eskom, and various parliamentarians attributed these rolling blackouts to insufficient generation capacity.

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Mozambique has abundant energy sources available for exploitation. As of 2021, the country was ranked first in energy potential of all the countries in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), with an estimated energy capacity of 187,000 MW. Available energy sources include coal, hydroelectricity, natural gas, solar energy and wind power. As of September 2021, the largest proportion of the power currently generated is from hydroelectric sources. However the energy mix in the country is changing. Natural gas powered energy stations are expected to provide 44 percent of total energy generation from 2020 to 2030.

The Karoshoek Solar One Power Station, also Karoshoek Concentrated Solar Power Station, is a 100 megawatts concentrated solar power plant in South Africa. The solar component of this power station comprises curved mirrors that heat a fluid to a high temperature. The hot fluid is used to heat water, creating steam. The steam then "drives a steam turbine to convert the energy into electricity". That part of the power station is complemented by molten salt thermal storage technology, which "allows five hours of energy storage, enabling the plant to continue producing electricity in the absence of sunlight", supplying energy during South African peak hours. The consortium that owns the solar farm comprises foreign and domestic independent power producers (IPPs) and local and international financiers and other investors. A 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), between the owners and Eskom, the South African electric utility company, governs the sale of the generated energy to Eskom, the off-taker. The power station achieved commercial commissioning in November 2018.

The Soetwater Wind Power Station is an operational 147 MW (197,000 hp) wind power plant in South Africa. The power station was developed and is owned by Enel Green Power, an IPP and subsidiary of the Italian multinational, ENEL. The energy generated at this wind farm is sold to the South African national electricity utility company Eskom Holdings, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The Seriti Wind Power Station is a 155 MW (208,000 hp) wind power plant under construction in South Africa. The power station is under development and is owned by Seriti Green Energy, the renewable energy subsidiary of the South African coal mining conglomerate, Seriti Resources. The power generated at this wind farm is intended for use by Seriti Resources in its coal mining operations in South Africa. The power will be transmitted from the wind farm to its destinations by Eskom, the South African electric utility company, under a "wheeling agreement". When completed in 2025 as planned, this will be the largest grid-ready wind power station in South Africa to date.

References

  1. 1 2 "THE SOUTH AFRICAN ENERGY SECTOR REPORT 2021" (PDF). 2021.
  2. ↑ "Nuclear Power in South Africa". World Nuclear Association. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  3. ↑ "Eskom uses tight power supply to defend tariff hike". Mail & Guardian. 28 June 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  4. ↑ OECD, African Development Bank, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (4 Dec 2009). African Economic Outlook 2009 : Country Notes: Volumes 1 and 2. OECD Publishing. p. 583. ISBN   9789264076181 . Retrieved 20 September 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ http://www.ee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/New_Power_Generators_RSA-CSIR-14Oct2016.pdf Archived 2016-10-24 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
  6. ↑ "BP Statistical Review of World Energy July 2021".
  7. ↑ "The World Fact Book". Central Intelligence Agency . Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Cape Argus".
  9. ↑ "Energy Security Master Plan – Electricity 2007–2025" (PDF). dme.gov.za. p. 15. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  10. ↑ "Apollo substation at full capacity". www.eskom.co.za. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
  11. ↑ "Top 25 Coal Power Countries in 2020". Ember. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  12. ↑ Electric Insights Quarterly (PDF) (Report).
  13. ↑ "Data tables – Data & Statistics".
  14. ↑ Holtzhausen, Jacobus Petrus (March 2012). "A comparative analysis of the coverage of the South African electrical energy crisis during the period 2005-2010 by Cape Town newspapers" (PDF). Stellenbosch University. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Eskom Heritage: FIRST CENTRAL POWER STATION - 1891". Eskom. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  16. ↑ Fox, Justin & Westwood, Alison (2016). Secret Cape Town (PDF). Cape Town: JONGLEZ. p. 68. ISBN   978-2-36195-140-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2021-10-24.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ↑ J Shorten, The Johannesburg Saga, ‘The City Electricity Department,’ page 599 ff.
  18. ↑ Conradie, S. R.; Messerschmidt, L. J. M. (2000). A Symphony of Power: The Eskom Story. Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publishers. p. 77.
  19. ↑ Dana Sanchez (28 October 2014). "Which Countries Produce And Consume Most Electricity In Africa?". Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "Electricity - production - Country Comparison - TOP 100".

See also

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