- Eskom used a refurbished generator part from the Netherlands to fix the damaged unit more quickly and at a lower cost.
- The 2021 explosion at Medupi injured no one but left Unit 4 offline for nearly three years.
Eskom has brought Unit 4 at Medupi Power Station back online, eight months ahead of schedule, giving the country’s power supply a major boost.
The return of the unit adds 800 megawatts to the national grid, helping Eskom in its push to reduce load shedding. The company says all six units at the Limpopo-based station are now operating. Once Unit 4 hits full power, Medupi will produce 4,800 megawatts.
The unit had been offline since 8 August 2021 after an explosion damaged a key part called the generator stator.
Instead of waiting for a new one, Eskom used a refurbished stator brought in from the Netherlands. This allowed engineers to complete the job faster and for less money, said spokesperson Daphne Mokwena.
Group CEO Dan Marokane called the restart a big achievement. He said it shows how efforts to improve the power supply are already working.
The explosion happened just before 11pm on 7 August 2021 during a gas purge to find a leak. Seven workers were treated for shock, but no one was badly hurt. Eskom has not explained what caused the blast or how much the repairs cost.
Medupi, one of the largest dry-cooled coal power stations in the world, means “rain that soaks parched lands” – a fitting name for a station trying to bring light back to a power-starved nation.
Pictured above: Medupi Power Station in Limpopo.
Image source: Eskom
