Richards Bay Mill power station
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Richards Bay Mill power station is an operating power station of at least 72-megawatts (MW) in Richards Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Richards Bay Mill power station | Richards Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa | -28.76208, 31.99352 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2: -28.76208, 31.99352
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: unknown, bioenergy: wood & other biomass (solids), bioenergy: unknown[1] | 38 | subcritical | 1984 | False |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: unknown, bioenergy: wood & other biomass (solids), bioenergy: unknown[1] | 34.3 | subcritical | 1984 | False |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Mondi South Africa Pty Ltd [100%] | Mondi PLC [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Mondi South Africa Pty Ltd [100%] | Mondi PLC [100.0%] |
Project-level captive use details
- Captive industry: Pulp & Paper
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): domestic
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
Mondi’s Richards Bay Mill was commissioned in 1984 and produces two key products: Baycel, a premier grade bleached hardwood pulp made from eucalyptus fibre, and Baywhite, a white top kraft linerboard.[2]
According to a 2010 document prepared for a United Nations-run carbon offset scheme, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the mill operates at least one co-fired coal and biomass boiler which generates heat and electricity for the production of pulp and linerboard. The boiler reportedly operates or operated below its designed capacity in terms of biomass utilization. A CDM biomass project was proposed to extend boiler operations to better utilize biomass waste as an alternative fuel to coal.[3]
In addition to the co-firing coal units estimated at 72 MW capacity, Richards Bay Mill appears to operate an approximately 27 MW gas-fired unit commissioned in 2006 and 47 MW pulping liquor-fired unit commissioned in 2014.[4][5]
In August 2022, Mondi Group reported "good operational performance" at the power station following the successful repair of a recovery boiler at the mill.[6]
In July 2024, Mondi launched a tender for independent power producers to build and operate solar power plants up to 10 MW at the Richards Bay Mill site.[7]
In their 2024 Sustainable Development report, Mondi stated that they were investing in a new biomass boiler to replace existing coal-fired boilers at the Richards Bay Mill power station.[8] As of March 2026, the replacement of the coal-fired boilers was reportedly ongoing.[9]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.gem.wiki/Coal_source_methodology_for_the_Global_Coal_Plant_Tracker.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ “Welcome to Mondi Richards Bay,” Mondi, accessed June 8, 2021
- ↑ “Project 0966 : Mondi Richards Bay Biomass Project,” CDM UNFCCC, accepted July 30, 2010
- ↑ "Mondi invests in new 47 MW steam turbine at its Richards Bay mill in South Africa," RISI Technology Channels, August 20, 2012
- ↑ “World Electric Power Plants Database,” S&P Global Platts, accessed June 2021 (purchase required)
- ↑ “2022 Half Year Results Presentation,” Mondi Group, August 4, 2022
- ↑ “Mondi launches tender for solar power at Richards Bay plant,” Engineering News, July 19, 2024
- ↑ “Sustainable Development report 2024,” Mondi Group, March 4, 2025
- ↑ “Integrated report and financial statements 2025,” Mondi Group, March 5, 2026
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.
