Eskom has added the final 800MW unit of Kusile power station, Unit 6, to South Africa’s national grid.
The development represents a milestone in Eskom’s strategy to add 2.5GW of new capacity by March 2025.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Up to September 2025, Unit 6 will undergo testing and optimisation before being officially added to Eskom’s generation fleet.
Kusile’s sister project, Medupi, is set to return 800MW from Unit 4 by April 2025 after an extended outage due to a generator stator failure.
Once Kusile Unit 6 reaches commercial operation, both newbuild power station projects will be in commercial operation.
Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane stated: “Kusile Unit 6’s addition is proof that we are making continued progress in stabilising and strengthening South Africa’s electricity supply. Meeting the targets we set in the Generation Recovery Plan and our strategic roadmap underscores our determination to deliver new capacity, enhance generation performance, support economic growth and ultimately deliver a more sustainable energy future.
“We re-iterate our commitment to ensuring that South Africa is in no way returning to the levels of load-shedding that we experienced in 2023. Our focus remains on delivering a more reliable, resilient and sustainable power system for the country.”
The Kusile power station will contribute 4.8GW when all units are in operation, making it South Africa’s largest infrastructure project.
The power plant is also the first in the country to implement wet flue gas desulphurisation technology to meet air quality standards.
Eskom Group executive for generation Bheki Nxumalo stated: “Eskom is at a critical point returning megawatts to the grid as we are currently in a constrained state. This milestone is a testament to the unwavering dedication and resilience of Eskom’s employees and contractors. Their commitment has driven us forward despite numerous challenges.
“As we celebrate this progress, our focus is now on ensuring that Unit 6 achieves commercial operation in the second half of 2025, further strengthening South Africa’s energy security.”
Eskom remains committed to its Generation Operational Recovery Plan, focusing on governance and sustainability to ensure energy security for South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
In January 2025, Eskom connected the 930MW Unit 2 of the Koeberg nuclear power station to the national grid, advancing the plan.
This connection follows a long-term operation programme to extend the unit’s life by 20 years, following similar upgrades to Unit 1.
