Eskom is carrying out development work at a number of coal-fired power stations to identify renewable energy projects while the plants are still operating. The work is aimed at avoiding delays like those at Komati Power Station where renewable projects only began after the plant was closed.
Speaking at the Just Energy Transition Conference in Johannesburg on September 17, Khutso Sekgota, GM: Business Development in Eskom’s Renewables Division, said the utility is now “starting much earlier” with its project preparation work.
“We closed Komati and then started working on plans. Today, we still don’t have a renewable power facility at that site,” Sekgota said. “We are starting much earlier now with parallel planning and decoupling the decommissioning date of the power stations from the renewable energy work.”
According to Sekgota, the work includes identifying potential solar PV, battery storage and other renewable capacity around each site. He outlined several initiatives being considered as part of the planning process including:
- Repurposing generators into synchronous condensers to support grid stability
- Using existing water treatment infrastructure to supply safe water to nearby communities
- Establishing microgrids to deliver electricity to remote settlements
- Setting up skills centres to retrain technicians and engineers for work in the renewables sector
This work is being done alongside broader grid development initiatives, including projects by the National Transmission Company South Africa and the Independent Transmission Project, Sekgota said.
