Morupule Thermal Power Station

Last updated

Morupule Thermal Power Station
BotswanaMorupule.jpg
Morupule Thermal Power Station
Morupule Thermal Power Station
Country Botswana
Location Palapye
Coordinates 22°31′12″S27°02′12″E / 22.52000°S 27.03667°E / -22.52000; 27.03667 Coordinates: 22°31′12″S27°02′12″E / 22.52000°S 27.03667°E / -22.52000; 27.03667
StatusOperational
Construction beganMorupule A: 1982
Morupule B: 2010
Commission date Morupule A: 1989
Morupule B: 2014
Owner(s) Botswana Power Corporation
Operator(s)
Thermal power station
Primary fuel Coal
Power generation
Units operationalMorupule A: 4 × 33 MW
Morupule B: 4 x 150 MW
Nameplate capacity Morupule A: 132 MW
Morupule B: 600 MW
[ edit on Wikidata]

Morupule Thermal Power Station is a coal-fired power station in Botswana. It is responsible for an estimated 80 percent of the country's domestic power generation. [1]

Contents

Location

The power station is located near the town of Palapye, in the Central District, approximately 270 kilometres (168 mi), by road, north-east of Gaborone, Botswana's capital city. [2] The geographical coordinates of Morupule Thermal Power Station are 22°31'12.0"S, 27°02'12.0"E (Latitude:-22.520000; Latitude:27.036667). [3]

Overview

Morupule A

Morupule A Power Station comprises four air-cooled 33 megawatts coal-fired units, with coal supplied from the adjacent Morupule Colliery, owned by Debswana. Total generation capacity is 132 megawatts. Construction on the existing station started in 1982 and was completed in 1989. [4]

In 2016, the government of Botswana sourced funds to renovate and restore Morupule A. The contract was won by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction at a contract price of BWP:2.5 billion (US$204 million in 2016 money). The upgrade was expected to last until 2018. On completion of the upgrade Morupule A is expected to function at 80 percent plant availability for another 15 years (until 2033). [5]

Morupule B

Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) was considering an expansion of the Morupule Power Station since 2006. BPC eventually decided on 600 megawatts, consisting of four 150 megawatts units. [1] At the time this project was conceptualized, 80 percent of the electricity consumed in Botswana, was imported from the South African utility, Eskom. The World Bank and the African Development Bank both provided partial funding to the construction of Morupule B. [6] In 2010 construction began, with the lead contractor being China National Electric Equipment Corporation (CNEEC). Completion was expected in 2012. [7]

However, by April 2013, Units I and II were out of service, undergoing repairs for cracks in their air ducts, that developed soon after installation. Unit III, the only functioning unit at the time, had also developed the same problem. Unit IV was still under construction. This led to severe power shortage, resulting in load shedding and rolling blackouts. [8]

In January 2014, the government of Botswana hired STEAG Energy Services of Germany to “identify problems created by CNEEC and rectify them”. After CNEEC was forced to leave, on 31 December 2013, STEAG took over maintenance and operation of Morupule B, effective 1 January 2014. Installation of all four units was completed in 2014. [9] [10] In June 2018, the government of Botswana terminated talks with state-owned China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), in attempts to divest from Morupule B. These negotiations had been ongoing since 2016. In 2018, the power station was producing at about 81 percent capacity (producing approximately 486 megawatts). [11]

Controversy

The Morupule B Power Station has been beset with problems right from the start. A forensic investigation into the matter has found that Botswana Power Company staff members colluded with CNEEC to embezzle more than BWP:1 billion (approx. US$90.5 million in 2014), from the BWP:10 billion (approx. US$905 million) Morupule B power project. [12]

Ownership

Morupule A and Morupule B are both owned 100 percent by the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC). [1] [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

Palapye Place in Central District, Botswana

Palapye is a growing town in Botswana, situated about halfway between Francistown and Gaborone. Over the years its position has made it a convenient stopover on one of Southern Africa's principal north–south rail and road routes.

Morupule Colliery

The Morupule Colliery is a coal mine located in Palapye, Botswana, and owned and operated by Debswana, a partnership between the government of Botswana and De Beers. Founded in 1973 to supply the Bamangwato Concessions, Ltd copper and nickel mine, operations have expanded considerably since then to supply regional power plants and industries, especially the nearby Morupule Power Station. A small wash plant, with a production capability of 120 tonnes per hour, was commissioned in January 2008 to supply a higher quality coal to local and regional consumers. This project was supported by the Botswana government as a means of stimulating the local economy, producing a less polluting form of coal than the run-of-mine coal, and to provide an alternative to the unsustainable use of wood for cooking and heating.

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, (ZESA) whose official name is ZESA Holdings (Private) Limited, is a state-owned company whose task is to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity in Zimbabwe. It has organized this task by delegation to its subsidiaries, the energy generating company Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC). Other subsidiaries are the investment branch ZESA Enterprises (ZENT) and internet provider PowerTel Communications (Private) Limited. ZESA is the only electricity generator and supplier for the public grid. For many years the company has failed to produce enough energy to meet demands. ZESA produced an estimated 6.8 billion kWh in 2016, while demand was estimated at 7.118 billion kWh. ZESA represents Zimbabwe in the Southern African Power Pool.

List of Railway stations in Botswana include:

Bujagali Hydroelectric Power Station Power station in Uganda

The Bujagali Power Station is a hydroelectric power station across the Victoria Nile that harnesses the energy of its namesake; the Bujagali Falls, in Uganda. Construction began in 2007 and concluded in 2012. It was officially inaugurated on 8 October 2012 by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Aga Khan IV in the presence of African politicians and investors.

Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station Power station in Namibia

The Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station is a hydroelectric power plant near Ruacana in northwest Namibia, close to the Angolan border. Commissioned in 1978, it is by far the largest power station in Namibia. Its operator is NamPower, the Namibian national electric power utility company.

Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station Power station in Nigeria

The Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station, also Jebba Power Station, is a hydroelectric power plant across the Niger River in Nigeria. It has a power generating capacity of 578.4 megawatts, enough to power over 364,000 homes. The plant was commissioned on 13 April 1985, although commercial energy production began in 1983.

Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) is a state owned company for electrical power generation, transmission and distribution in Botswana. It was established in 1970 and is currently the only electricity supplier in the country. BPC produced an estimated 1,052 GWh in 2007, while demand was estimated to 2,648 GWh. BPC represents Botswana in the Southern African Power Pool. Morupule Power Station (coal-fired) in Palapye supplies 80% of domestically generated electricity, however the country is dependent on importing energy from its neighbours. Its capacity is estimated to be around 132 MW. Since the regions main power generator South Africa is experiencing its own problems with undercapacity blackouts are a problem. A plan to boost Morupule station with four new 150 MW units is underway and gathering financial support from several sources.

North-South Carrier Water pipeline in Botswana

The North-South Carrier (NSC) is a pipeline in Botswana that carries raw water south for a distance of 360 kilometres (220 mi) to the capital city of Gaborone. Phase 1 was completed in 2000. Phase 2 of the NSC, under construction, will duplicate the pipeline to carry water from the Dikgatlhong Dam, which was completed in 2012. A proposed extension to deliver water from the Zambezi would add another 500 to 520 kilometres to the total pipeline length. The NSC is the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Botswana.

Tanzania has a wide range of energy resources in abundance, which are not yet fully exploited. These include; wood fuel, other biomass fuels, hydropower, natural gas, coal, wind, geothermal, uranium and solar.

The Kipeto Wind Power Station, also Kajiado Wind Power Project, is a 100 megawatts (130,000 hp) wind-powered electricity power station in Kenya. It is the second-largest wind farm in the country, behind the 310 megawatts Lake Turkana Wind Power Station.

Kanzimbe Solar Power Station, also Salima Solar Power Station, is a 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) solar power plant, under construction, in Malawi, in Southern Africa.

Absa Bank Botswana Commercial bank in Botswana

Absa Bank Botswana, formerly known as Barclays Bank of Botswana Limited, is a commercial bank in Botswana, licensed by the Bank of Botswana, the country's central bank and national banking regulator.

Bank SBI Botswana Limited Commercial bank in Botswana

Bank SBI Botswana Limited, formerly State Bank of India Botswana Limited, is a commercial bank in Botswana. It is licensed by the Bank of Botswana, the central bank and national banking regulator.

Zagtouli Solar Power Station, is an operational 33 MW (44,000 hp) solar power plant in Burkina Faso. At the time of its commissioning, in November 2017, it was one of the largest, grid-connected solar power station in West Africa.

The Oyster Bay Wind Power Station is an operational 140 MW (190,000 hp) wind power plant in South Africa. The power station was developed and is owned by Enel Green Power, a subsidiary of the Italian energy conglomerate, Enel, headquartered in Rome. The energy generated at this wind farm is sold to the South African national electricity utility company Eskom, under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

References

  1. 1 2 3 United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (2006). "Morupule Power Station Generation Expansion Project Palapye, Botswana" (PDF). New York City: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  2. ↑ Google (29 July 2020). "Road Distance From Gaborone To Palapye" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  3. ↑ Google (29 July 2020). "Location of Morupule Thermal Power Station" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  4. ↑ Botswana Power Corporation (2 December 2013). "Generation at Morupule Thermal Power Station". Gaborone: Botswana Power Corporation. Archived from the original (Archived from the original on 3 December 2013) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Babalwa Bungane (15 December 2015). "Botswana: Doosan Heavy Industries to upgrade Morupule A power plant". Rondebosch, South Africa: ESI-Africa.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  6. 1 2 African Development Bank (June 2009). "Botswana: Morupule B Power Project; ESIA Executive Summary" (PDF). Abidjan: African Development Bank . Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  7. ↑ Brian Benza (22 February 2010). "Construction Of 600 MW Morupule B Power Station Begins". Mmegi Online . Gaborone. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  8. ↑ ESI-Africa (29 April 2013). "Morupule B problems cause rolling blackouts in Botswana". Rondebosch, South Africa: ESI-Africa.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Sunday Standard (12 January 2014). "Gov't Turns Against Morupule B Contractor". Gaborone: Sunday Standard. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  10. ↑ STEAG Energy Services (19 February 2014). "STEAG takes on operation and maintenance in Botswana in record time: Cooperation between STEAG Energy Services from Essen and India in a 600 MW power plant". Essen, Germany: Steag.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  11. ↑ James Macharia (9 June 2018). "Botswana cancels plans to sell troubled power plant to Chinese firm". Reuters.com . Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  12. ↑ Sunday Standard (11 February 2019). "CNEEC, BPC staff fleece Morupule B of P 1 billion- report". Sunday Standard. Gaborone. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.