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Eskom warns that if a minimum emissions standard is implemented soon, an energy crisis will be unavoidable because it will impact Eskom’s ability to provide electricity.
On Tuesday, 14 December 2021, the power utility explained that it had received decisions from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment (DFFE) in response to Eskom’s applications for the postponement of the implementation of air quality compliance timelines, set in air quality legislation, for its power stations.
According to the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004), all Eskom coal and liquid fuel-fired power stations must meet the Minimum Emission Standards (MES) regulations published in this act.
The MES regulations establish time frames for complying with power plant air quality emission limits and arrangements.
- A one-time postponement with minimum emissions compliance for “new” plants for five years from the issue date. Beyond 31 March 2025, no one-time postponement would be valid.
- A one-time suspension for plants scheduled to be decommissioned by 31 March 2030.
- If certain conditions are met, the National Air Quality Officer may grant an alternative emission limit or emission load.
However, the state-owned power utility states that during 2019 and 2020, Eskom submitted applications for postponement, suspension, and alternative limits of the MES for 16 of its power stations. “The DFFE decision on the applications was made on 30 October 2021 and were made available to Eskom on 4 November 2021,” the power utility says.
According to the applications, Eskom received positive postponement decisions for Grootvlei, Arnot, Hendrina, Camden, Komati, Acacia, and Port Rex. Coal-fired power plants are now scheduled to close by 2030. Komati will be the first to close in September 2022, followed by Hendrina in 2025.
The two peaking stations, Acacia and Port Rex, reach their 50 year life span in 2026/7.
The power utility’s requests for postponements in Matla, Duvha, Matimba, and Lethabo were denied entirely.
Postponement applications for Majuba, Tutuka, Kendal, and Kriel were only partially granted.
Looking forward, the power utility says, “If implemented, the decision will result in the immediate shutting down of 16 000MW of installed coal fired capacity.” According to Eskom, this will impact the economy, employment and delay the country’s plans for a just energy transition to a cleaner electricity supply.
“As such, Eskom is engaging with the DFFE, the Department of Public Enterprises, the Department of Minerals and Energy, and others in respect of the way forward.”
Eskom
Furthermore, the power utility emphasised its commitment to its mandate of supplying stable electricity efficiently and sustainably, thereby enabling economic growth.
“We aim to do this in an environmentally responsible manner that takes into consideration the need to reduce local air pollution and is in line with the country’s climate change commitments. We believe that the Just Energy Transition strategy as proposed by Eskom is a constructive way of transitioning to a cleaner environment while deploying limited funds to create additional generation capacity, rather than investing money in retrofitting expensive technology at ageing coal-fired plants with a limited remaining life.”
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