Matla power station

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Matla power station is an operating power station of at least 3600-megawatts (MW) in Kriel, Nkangala, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Matla power station Kriel, Nkangala, Mpumalanga, South Africa -26.281332, 29.141506 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6: -26.281332, 29.141506

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year Retired year
Unit 1 operating coal - bituminous 600 subcritical 1979 2030 (planned)
Unit 2 operating coal - bituminous 600 subcritical 1980 2031 (planned)
Unit 3 operating coal - bituminous 600 subcritical 1980 2031 (planned)
Unit 4 operating coal - bituminous 600 subcritical 1981 2032 (planned)
Unit 5 operating coal - bituminous 600 subcritical 1982 2033 (planned)
Unit 6 operating coal - bituminous 600 subcritical 1983 2034 (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

The Matla Power Station is a coal-fired station owned by the South African publicly-owned electricity utility Eskom. The power station has an installed capacity of 3,600 megawatts (MW), comprising 6 X 600 MW units. The power station is located at Kriel, Mpumalanga.[1]

According to South Africa's 2019 Integrated Resource Plan, the plant's 50-year Life Decommissioning is projected for 2029-2033.[2] In April 2020, Eskom listed the planned retirement dates for the plant's six units between 2030 and 2034.[3]

In 2021, the Energy Systems Research Group (ESRG) found potential cost and greenhouse gas emissions savings if compliance with new standards is suspended for the Matla Power Station and the units are instead retired early.[4]

In October 2021, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment denied Eskom's request for environmental compliance postponement for the power station. Matla was also named as one of the highest-emitting stations.[5] 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.”[6]

In May 2022, the Matla plant was sabotaged when a cable in Unit 1 was cut. This is part of a series of sabotages and thefts facing Eskom plants, following major loadshedding power outages caused by the company's aging infrastructure.[7]

In November 2022, several arrests were made after contracted truck drivers allegedly stole coal at the Matla power station.[8]

According to reports from December 2022, Unit 6 suffered damage to its electrical cables after spilled fuel oil started a localized fire. The damage was reportedly "not severe," and no foul play was suspected at the time.[9][10]

In May 2023, Eskom announced increased load shedding due to breakdowns at multiple power stations. At Matla, one unit had recently returned to service, while another unit had been delayed in returning online. Yet another unit had been taken offline after breaking down.[11]

In early September 2023, Eskom increased load shedding to Stage 6, equal to 6,000 MW, after breakdowns of coal units at Matla and Lethabo power station. Eskom said 16,210 MW of generating capacity had broken down, and a further 5,894 MW was offline for planned maintenance.[12]

According to an analysis by Reuters published in September 2023, 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.[13]

Articles and Resources

References

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.