Gas air heater fire could delay commercial operation at Kusile Unit 5 by up to a year

Eskom told lawmakers on Wednesday that a fire in the gas air heater of Kusile Unit 5, which occurred during a commissioning exercise on September 17, represented a major “setback” and could delay the 800 MW unit’s entry into commercial operation by up to a year. Under the revised scheduled for the much-delayed Kusile build programme, Unit 5 was expected to enter into commercial operation in December 2023.
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Eskom lenders hire PwC as power cuts grip South African utility

Lenders to Eskom Holdings have hired financial advisers as South Africa’s State-owned power utility restructures its business. The banks asked consultants at PwC to assist them with negotiations, said people familiar with the matter, who aren’t authorized to talk about it and asked not to be identified. Representatives for Eskom and PwC didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Kusile fire may delay completion of 800 MW unit by a year, warns De Ruyter

On Wednesday morning, Eskom group CEO André de Ruyter admitted to Parliament that a recent fire at unit 5 of the Kusile Power Station may delay the unit’s completion by a whole year, until December 2024. A month ago, a fire broke out at a gas air heater at unit 5, which is being commissioned and has not yet been synchronised to the grid.
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Standard Bank to exceed 2022 green financing target

Standard Bank will exceed its green financing target of R50-billion this year, as South Africa’s scrapping of regulations on self-generated renewable energy projects has spurred a rush for financing, a top executive said. Africa’s most developed economy is facing rolling, hours-long blackouts due largely to breakdowns at ageing coal-fired power plants operated by debt-crippled State utility Eskom.
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