FACTBOX-South Africa power generation plans

July 20 (Reuters) - South African utility Eskom [ESCJ.UL]
said on Monday the two 4,800 MW power plants it is constructing
are on track, and it expects to seek approval from the board for
a third plant in December.

To see a story, please click on [ID:nLK6851]

Below are details of Eskom's generating capacity:

CAPACITY AND SHORTFALL

* Eskom has a total operational capacity of just over 39,500
megawatts (MW). It will add close to 1,000 MW by returning
mothballed stations to service by the middle of 2009.

* It operates 11 coal-fired stations and Africa's only
nuclear-powered plant along with other smaller stations.

* Eskom, established in 1923, generates 95 percent of South
Africa's electricity and 45 percent of Africa's electricity.

* In January 2008, the utility said it was unable to supply
power to the country's mines sparking a major energy crisis.

* Eskom plans to invest 385 billion rand ($48.23 billion) in
new power plants over five years. It plans to spend 1.3 trillion
rand by 2025 to double generating capacity to 80,000 MW.

* So far it has managed to add 4440 MW to the grid, out of
the 13 GW planned in the five-year programme.

* Eskom estimates with the new capacity coming onstream it
can raise its reserve margin or spare capacity to 10 percent by
2015, still short of its safe 15 percent target.

PLANNED POWER STATIONS

* Eskom started construction on the 4,788 MW Medupi power
station in 2007. The first of six units is due to be
commissioned by 2012 and the plant will be operational by 2015.

* The 4,800 MW Kusile power station is due by early 2017.

* The 1,352 MW Ingula hydro power station is due by 2013.

* The utility has invested in a wind farm with 50 wind
turbines providing 2 MW of electricity each, but the project,
due in mid-2010, has been put on hold due to financial woes.

* The Ankerlig and Gourikwa open cycle gas turbine power
stations will nearly double their capacity to 2,080 MW by 2009.

* The government plans to add 6,000 MW in new nuclear energy
by 2025 with the first 3,200 MW plant due in 2019.

* Eskom has put on hold the 1,500 MW Tubatse hydro-power
plant, citing a slowdown in energy demand growth.

* The mothballed Camden power station has been
recommissioned and is now fully operational; the Grootvlei and
Komati power plants will return to service by end-October, 2011.

CURRENT POWER STATIONS

**************************
Coal-fired Total net maximum capacity
* Kendal 3,840 MW
* Majuba 3,843 MW
* Matimba 3,690 MW
* Lethabo 3,558 MW
* Tutuka 3,510 MW
* Matla 3,450 MW
* Duvha 3,450 MW
* Kriel 2,850 MW
* Arnot 2,040 MW
* Hendrina 1,895 MW
* Camden 1,250 MW
* Grootvlei 1,175 MW (Mothballed, being recommissioned)
* Komati 955 MW (Mothballed, being recommissioned)

Nuclear
* Koeberg 1,800 MW

Gas/liquid fuel turbine stations
* Acacia 171 MW
* Ankerlig 592 MW
* Gourikwa 444 MW
* Port Rex 171 MW

Hydroelectric stations
* Gariep 360 MW
* Vanderkloof 240 MW

Pumped storage schemes
* Drakensberg 1,000 MW
* Palmiet 400 MW

(Sources: Eskom 2008 annual report; January 2008 news
conference and Reuters)
(Compiled by Marius Bosch and Agnieszka Flak)