Matimba power station
Part of the Global Coal Plant Tracker, a Global Energy Monitor project. |
Related coal trackers: |
Matimba power station is an operating power station of at least 3990-megawatts (MW) in Lephalale, Waterberg, Limpopo, South Africa.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
---|---|---|
Matimba power station | Lephalale, Waterberg, Limpopo, South Africa | -23.668833, 27.610838 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6: -23.668833, 27.610838
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unit 1 | operating | coal - bituminous | 665 | subcritical | 1987 | 2037 (planned) |
Unit 2 | operating | coal - bituminous | 665 | subcritical | 1987 | 2037 (planned) |
Unit 3 | operating | coal - bituminous | 665 | subcritical | 1988 | 2038 (planned) |
Unit 4 | operating | coal - bituminous | 665 | subcritical | 1989 | 2039 (planned) |
Unit 5 | operating | coal - bituminous | 665 | subcritical | 1990 | 2040 (planned) |
Unit 6 | operating | coal - bituminous | 665 | subcritical | 1991 | 2041 (planned) |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
Unit name | Owner |
---|---|
Unit 1 | Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (Eskom) [100.0%] |
Unit 2 | Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (Eskom) [100.0%] |
Unit 3 | Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (Eskom) [100.0%] |
Unit 4 | Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (Eskom) [100.0%] |
Unit 5 | Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (Eskom) [100.0%] |
Unit 6 | Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd (Eskom) [100.0%] |
Background
Matimba power station is a six-unit coal-fired power plant with a total capacity of 3,990 MW. The plant was completed between 1987 and 1991, and is owned by Eskom.[1]
According to a 2018 case study, the adjacent Grootegeluk coal mine has sufficient coal reserves to guarantee Matimba a minimum lifespan of 35 years, extending to a possible 50 years at 2,100 - 2,130 tons of coal per hour.[2] Another 2020 article found that at the current rate of production, the open pit mine has enough coal for the next 125 years.[3]
The plant has been described as follows: "Compared with the national angst about Medupi power station’s frequent outages and design flaws, Matimba is downright boring: it simply burns coal and produces carbon dioxide, over and over again, and will do so for decades to come."[3]
In October 2021, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment denied Eskom's request for environmental compliance postponement for the power station.[4] Eskom appealed the decision and claimed that, if implemented, it "would have a significant negative impact on the economy and employment … and delay the country’s plans for an energy transition to a cleaner energy supply.”[5]
According to South Africa's 2019 Integrated Resource Plan, the plant's 50-year Life Decommissioning is projected for 2037-2041.[6] In April 2020, Eskom listed the unit retirement dates between 2038 and 2042.[7]
In June 2022, a unit at the Matimba power station tripped. The break down contributed to Stage 2 loadshedding and the ongoing vulnerability of Eskom's grid.[8]
In March 2023, it was reported that maintenance on Unit 5 could be delayed due to a strike by 147 employees of a company subcontracted by Eskom to perform repairs on equipment.[9]
In August 2023, two units at the power station were taken offline for repairs. Eskom announced Stage 4 load shedding amid a country-wide loss of generation capacity.[10]
In September 2023, Reuters published an analysis showing that four Eskom power stations — Kriel power station, Matimba power station, Matla power station, and Kendal power station — had breached regulations for particulate matter emissions in the prior year.[11]
Sabotage investigation
In late 2021, three of its units went down simultaneously after technicians dropped an extension cord onto the unit 2 transformer. Eskom CEO André de Ruyter – who had earlier shared that criminal elements were attempting to sabotage the power utility – explained that a team had been working on the station’s dry cooling fans when they dropped the cord. This caused a flash, which tripped the station board and shut down all cooling to units 1, 2, and 3, leading to all three shutting down.[12][13]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ Eskom, "Generations Plant Mix Revision 8", May 2008.
- ↑ "Eskom, Matimba Power Plant, South Africa: Digitalizing One of the Largest Power Plants in the World", Hexagon PPM, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The story of SA’s biggest power plant, and its little town", Mail & Guardian, April 29, 2020
- ↑ “Eskom to engage on way forward after being denied permission to delay air-quality compliance,” Engineering News, December 14, 2021
- ↑ "'No risk of power outages' as Eskom can appeal emission extension refusals," Times Live, December 15, 2021
- ↑ "Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2019)," South Africa, October 2019 (figure 26)
- ↑ "Response of Eskom to CER, Reference number: PAIA 0087 MAN," CER website, April 28, 2020
- ↑ "Eskom Warns Power Cuts May be Ramped Up During Evening Peaks," Eyewitness News, June 22, 2022
- ↑ "Possible delays at Matimba power station due to a workers’ strike," Capricorn FM, March 31, 2023
- ↑ "Eskom ramps up SA to stage 4 load shedding," The Citizen, August 29, 2023
- ↑ "Exclusive: South African utility Eskom pollutes more in bid to keep lights on," Reuters, September 27, 2023
- ↑ "Eskom employee arrested — copper cable worth R540,000 confiscated," My broadband, November 24, 2021
- ↑ "Inside Eskom sabotage: Delayed report reveals how insiders helped the power station criminals," Times Live, November 28, 2021
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.