The Stefanutti Stocks and Basil Read Joint Venture (SSBRJV), which is one of the principal contractors overseeing the construction at para- statal power utility Eskom’s Kusile power station project, was presented with the first prize in the category for projects valued at over R500-million at this year’s Master Builders South Africa National Safety Competition.

The SSBRJV received this award for achieving three-million lost time injury- (LTI-) free hours at Kusile, which it attributed to continuity in leadership and support from the Kusile execution team safety personnel.

The Kusile Civil Work JV – comprising construction firms Stefanutti Stocks, Basil Read, Group Five and Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) Construction – achieved four-million LTI-free hours, the Concor Karrena JV achieved three-million LTI-free hours, France-based multinational energy and transport provider Alstom achieved two-million LTI-free hours and project management company Bateman one- million LTI-free hours, all for their respective work carried out at the site.

Kusile currently has over 16 000 people working on the 1 355 ha construction site, with 52% of the employees working at Kusile being locally based.

Meanwhile, the parastatal notes that the generator stator for the Unit 1 power generator has been successfully installed at Kusile, which is located in the Victor Khanye municipal area, in Mpumalanga. Also, the high- voltage yard has been commissioned and energised. The Unit 1 boiler is 27.7% complete, while the Unit 1 turbine is 56% complete.

In August, Eskom reported that Alstom placed the Unit 1 high-pressure cylinder and intermediate pressure cylinder steam turbine assemblies on to their bearings. Also, Alstom started carrying out hydrostatic testing of the Unit 1 flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) absorber.

The Unit 2 boiler is 9.3% complete and the concrete placement for the foundation of the Unit 3 turbine has been completed. Eskom reports that the Unit 2 boiler roof grid was successfully lifted and the turbine pedestal concrete was poured, while work on the Unit 2 boiler pressure parts, as well as the steel erection for the Unit 3 boiler, started.

Construction of the ash silo at Kusile is 68% complete, the western chimney is 85.5% complete, the main civil works is 66.1% complete and work on the materials handling equipment is 14.6% complete. Finally, all access roads at Kusile have been completed.

The company highlights that 402 companies have benefited from the Kusile power station project, which has spent over R3.17-billion on local suppliers and contractors.

As of October 20, 200 t of structural steel had been used for the construction of the first boiler unit and 600 000 m3 of concrete had been placed. The site has used 235 cranes, of which the largest is 1 200 t.

The power station is expected to have a total installed capacity of 4 800 MW, which comprises six 800 MW electricity generating units. Once completed it will be one of the largest coal-fired power stations in the world. The first unit is scheduled to go online in December 2014.

Kusile will also be the first power station in South Africa to have a FGD absorber installed. Eskom explains that FGD technology is used to remove oxides of sulphur, such as sulphur dioxide, from flue exhausts installed at coal- burning power plants.

The plant will also use air-cooling instead of water-cooling in order to conserve water.

Previous Developments
As of August, WBHO was on schedule to complete the raw water line from the nearby Kendal power station. Eskom notes this as “a significant milestone, as it will enable the project to have raw water on site”, which will allow the project to commission tempo- rary water treatment facilities. This will also significantly decrease the number of water bowser trucks on the R545 highway and, subsequently, the risk of accidents.

Multinational engineering and electronics conglomerate Siemens started setting frames in the station service building for the 5 kV substation medium- voltage boards. This would allow Siemens to prepare the placement of the boards on the frames.

In June, installation of low-pressure casings, which were connected to the previously installed exhaust duct system, took place.

Meanwhile, in May, Eskom reported that it had com- pleted chimney concrete works and began installation of the flue can in the west chimney. Finally, work on the concrete sliding of the ash silo and cable racking also started.

Eskom notes that the Kusile team donated 100 school uniforms and shoes to children attending Wisani Primary School in Soweto.