NATIONAL NEWS - Eskom’s Kusile Power Station Unit 6 has entered commercial operation – officially adding some 800MW to the national grid and strengthening South Africa’s energy security.
The power utility announced the milestone on Monday and it marks the completion of the Eskom Build Programme.
Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane said the milestone was a testament to the power utility’s commitment to its turnaround plan.
“Achieving commercial operation of Unit 6 within the planned timeframe is a testament to Eskom’s disciplined execution of the Generation Operational Recovery Plan. This milestone not only completes the Kusile build programme but also reinforces Eskom’s commitment to restoring energy security, enhancing grid stability, and investing in infrastructure that supports South Africa’s long-term economic growth.
“Since its synchronisation in March, Unit 6 has consistently met performance benchmarks, contributed to grid reliability, and helped meet electricity demand 97% of the time,” Marokane said.
At the Medupi Power Station, which was also part of Eskom’s Build Programme, Unit 4 of the station was returned to service in July this year.
“Medupi and Kusile will remain central to South Africa’s electricity supply for many years to come. Both stations are designed for an operational lifespan of approximately 50 years.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we are also accelerating efforts to expand our renewable energy portfolio to complement our baseload infrastructure. This is part of our broader strategy to repower the grid and reduce overall emissions,” Marokane added.
Eskom explained that commercial operation indicates that Unit 6 has “passed all required testing and optimisation phases” and is now fully integrated into the power utility’s operational fleet.
“Although the unit has been supplying electricity to the grid since its synchronisation on 23 March 2025, its contribution had not been reflected in official reporting until now. From this point onward, Unit 6’s output will be included in the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) calculations, contributing to Eskom’s overall performance metrics.
“This achievement also marks a key milestone in Eskom’s strategic goal to add 2500MW of new capacity to the grid by March 2025 and represents a major step in completing one of the largest infrastructure projects in South Africa’s history,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za
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