Mpaka power station
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Mpaka power station is a cancelled power station in Mpaka, Lubombo district, Lubombo, Eswatini. It is also known as Lubhuku power station, Emalangeni Coal Power Station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Mpaka power station | Mpaka, Lubombo district, Lubombo, Eswatini | -26.412, 31.78 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | cancelled | coal - anthracite | 250 | subcritical | – | – |
| Unit 2 | cancelled | coal - anthracite | 250 | subcritical | – | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Canham Mining International [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Canham Mining International [100.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): Mpaka coal mine
Background
In late 2016, Canham Mining International was granted a license to set up a coal-fired thermal power station. The Australian company obtained the license ahead of JSW Energy and its partners, the government of Swaziland, and Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC). Canham Mining proposed to invest E100 billion and create jobs for over 30,000 workers.[1] (Another 2016 article provides more background on JSW Energy's plans in Eswatini.[2])
In July 2017, the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the governments of Swaziland and South Africa was reportedly all that stood "in the way" of the project. 90% of the power was planned to be exported and 10% supplied to the national grid. The company had been pushing for the project since 2004, and allegedly had "all the necessary papers, including a licence and a lease agreement for the land at Mpaka, save for the MoU." The land was leased "from His Majesty the King because it is his farm and the attorney general has approved it." The company was looking at sourcing coal from both South Africa and Swaziland, with each country supplying them with 10 million tonnes per month. It was also planning to use the under-construction South Africa-Swaziland railway link to import coal.[3]
In March 2018, MP Prince Magudvulela called out the government for failing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with other countries, mainly South Africa and Mozambique, to allow Canham Mining International (CMI) to sell electricity. He noted that in 2016, the Swaziland Energy Regulatory Authority (SERA) had issued a call for objections to the CMI project a Mpaka Railway Hall, and Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) and Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) had not attended. He made a motion in Parliament to compel the government to sign the MoU because without government action, Independent Power Producers (IPPS) are not allowed to sell electricity on their own to individuals or organizations outside of Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC).[4]
In August 2021, it was reported that the proposal was a "non-starter" four years later "due to the COVID-19 pandemic." However, the article was likely actually referring to the Lubhuku power station.[5]
An Eswatini Observer article from April 2023 mentioned "pending plans" for a coal-fired thermal plant,[6] but this was likely referring to the Lubhuku power station.
With no known developments on the power station since 2018, it was presumed cancelled.
Adjacent mine
A March 2022 article published in the Eswatini Observer revealed that the Minister of Commerce announced that a mining license had been issued for the Mpaka Coal Mine.[7] This could yield future plans for either the Mpaka Power Station or the adjacent Lubhuku Power Station.
In October 2022, ZAR 5,4 billion was invested into the mine. Lurco Coal Eswatini claimed that a report confirmed the economic viability of the project, which would be published no later than January 2023.[8]
In February 2023, Eswatini's Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade reportedly said that the "...Mpaka mine will soon be operational..."[9]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Power to the people," Times of Swaziland, January 22, 2017
- ↑ "JSW Energy signs MoU to set up thermal power plant in Swaziland," The Dollar Business, October 24, 2016
- ↑ "Document Stalls E120bn Investment," Times of Swaziland, July 16, 2017
- ↑ "Govt frustrating 35,000 jobs protect Prince," Eswatini Observer, March 12, 2018
- ↑ "COVID-19 stalls 500MW coal plant worth $800m," SA Shares, August 11, 2021
- ↑ "'Keep the Lights On'," Eswatini Observer, April 26, 2023
- ↑ "SA FIRM TO INVEST E2BN IN COAL MINING," Eswatini Observer, April 4, 2022
- ↑ "LURCO COAL ESWATINI READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING DESPITE DELAYS AT MPAKA COAL PROJECT," Inside Biz, October 3, 2022
- ↑ "E15 Billion Worth of Investments Coming to the Country," Eswatini Positive News, February 28, 2023
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.
