Zuma to reopen Grootvlei power station
President Jacob Zuma will officially reopen the Grootvlei power station in Balfour, Mpumalanga, on Friday.
The power station, which comprises six coal-fired units with a combined capacity of 1 200 MW, was mothballed in 1990 owing to an excess of available electricity at the time; however, following a R7.2-billion upgrade it has been returned to service.
The upgrade formed part of State-owned power utility Eskom’s return-to-service projects, which also included the upgrade of the Camden and Komati power stations.
“The return to service of the Grootvlei power station will assist with [meeting] the electricity demand requirements on the national grid by providing maintenance space for other power stations,” the Presidency said in a statement.
The President will also on Friday inspect the construction progress on the Grootvlei–Balfour railway line, which will link the Grootvlei power station to the Balfour North power station in Mpumalanga.
Transnet has, in line with its own commitments to move freight volumes to rail, decided to reinstate the about 30 km Grootvlei–Balfour rail line.
The rail line would have the capacity to transport three-million tons of coal a year.
“We expect the first phase of the project to be completed by December this year and the second phase by April 2014. The development on the rail line already sees 9 km of track successfully installed,” Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said.
The Grootvlei–Balfour rail line formed part of the broader branchline network, which was a critical link in the country’s transport system and was an integral component of the revitalisation of the freight traffic road to rail migration strategy, the Presidency explained.
“This rail network will contribute to local economic and socioeconomic development of communities,” it added.
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