Kusile Power Station Project
Kusile is a coal-fired power station close to the existing Kendal Power Station in the Delmas Municipal area of the Mpumalanga Province. It is the second most advanced power plant in Eskom after Medupi power station in Lephalale. Both of these stations are being built to address the energy reserve margin which is below 10 per cent.
The station will consist of six units each rated at approximately 800 MW installed capacity giving a total of 4800 MW. As such it will be one of the largest coal-fired power stations in the world, once finished.
Construction
Construction started in April 2008, on the average, a coal-fired power station takes approximately eight years to build. The first unit is planned for commercial operation in 2014. The other units will be commissioned in approximately 8-month intervals with the last unit expected to be in commercial operation by 2018.
Recognising the ever increasing need for more electrical capacity to sustain economic growth, Eskom, who are responsible for supplying 95 per cent of the country’s electricity, secured future energy provisions with the development of another mega power station.
The main construction involves power station buildings; administrative buildings such as control, medical, and security buildings; roads as well as a high-voltage yard. The likely associated infrastructure includes water treatment works, wastewater treatment works, access roads, railway line, water supply pipelines, a coal stockyard, limestone off-loading facilities, an ash disposal facility a coal and ash conveyor system, and water storage facilities.
Output Facts
The power station will be coal fired, with the coal supplied by a new colliery near the power station. Anglo Coal South Africa has committed to supply the 17 million tons of coal per annum, over a period of 60 years through its empowerment subsidiary Anglo Inyosi Coal.
The coal will be supplied from the New Largo reserve, with supporting coal from the Zondagsfontein East No.2 seam, a middlings product, and also from the Zondagsfontein East No. 4 seam and the Zondagsfontein West resource, where further exploration is ongoing. The initial coal supplies are expected to be delivered in 2011.The New Largo operation will consist of two draglines and mini-pit operations.
Assigned Contracts
In 2007, Eskom awarded contracts valued over R31billion(US$ 4 billion) for Kusile to Hitachi Power Africa for the boiler contract and to Alstom S&E for the turbine contract.
In 2008, Eskom awarded the main civils contract valued at R2.9 billion(US$ 407 million) to Kusile Civil Works Joint Venture. The Joint Venture comprises of the following construction companies: Stefanutti Stocks, Group 5, Basil Read and WBHO construction.
The site services contract was awarded to an Eskom subsidiary, Roshcon. The contract entails the construction of site facilities, such as sewerage facilities and electricity reticulation among others. The generation transformers contract was awarded to Siemens late in 2008.
Saving the Environment
An interesting aspect to this project is that it will be the first power station in South Africa to have Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) installed. FGD is the current state-of-the art technology used to remove oxides of sulphur (SOx), e.g. sulphur dioxide (SO2), from the exhaust flue gases in power plants that burn coal or oil.
Eskom is fitting FGD to the Kusile plant as an atmospheric emission abatement technology, in line with current international practice, to ensure compliance with air quality standards, especially since the power station is located in a priority air shed.
The FGD Plant is a totally integrated chemical plant using limestone as feedstock and producing as a by-product, gypsum, which is commonly used in the manufacture of dry walls and ceilings.
Site Clearance
The site is about 5, 200 hectares in size. It is located on the farms Hartbeesfontein and Klipfontein and was previously used for agriculture and cattle grazing. The clearing of the site started on 1 April 2008.
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The site clearance involved the following activities:
- Removal and conservation of the topsoil – to be used for rehabilitation of the site when construction is complete
- levelling of the site – in other words filling lower sections from soil collected in higher-rising sections
- Replanting of any indigenous trees and plants
- Preservation of high integrity wetlands within the site
- Relocation of graves and the preservation of two heritage sites.
The site clearance will involve the moving of about 10.5 million cubic meters of soil and vegetation. To date, more than 3 million cubic meters of soil has been removed. The total number of graves that were relocated amounted to 205.
Positive
There are a number benefits directly associated with this monumental project, utmost being the additional electricity supplied to the power grid, a necessity for any developing nation. Next is the temporary and permanent employment opportunities provided to the immediate community.
As many as 8, 500 to 10 ,000 people (at peak) will have employment as a direct effect of the construction efforts. Eskom has endeavoured to leave a positive legacy in this area. To this end a training centre will be built as well as police stations and schools.
Project Team
Client: Eskom
Main Contractor (joint venture): Kusile Civil Works Joint Venture: Stefanutti Stocks; Group 5; Basil Read; and WBHO
Site Services & Terracing: Roshcon
Boiler: Hitachi Power Africa
Turbine Alstom: S&E
Generation Transformers Contract: Siemens
