800MW gas to power under development in Mpumalanga, South Africa

News flash

• Nsovo Environmental Consulting (hereafter referred to as Nsovo) has been appointed by Khanyazwe Flexpower (Pty) Ltd. (KFP) to undertake Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the proposed Flexpower power Plant and associated infrastructures.
• Developed by independent power producer FlexED, the proposed project will be located inside an urban area, on Portions 1, 4, and 116 of Farm Malelane 389 FP, in Malelane within the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Province.

The project involves developing, constructing, and operating a (maximum) 800MW natural gas-fired power plant using either Gas Engines (or Internal Combustion Engines (ICE)) or Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT). KFP will source gas from the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investments Company (ROMPCO), which has an existing gas pipeline that connects Mozambique’s Pande Temane gas fields to Sasol’s operations in South Africa, as well as several industrial and retail customers. Alternative sources of gas if gas from the existing Pande Temane fields is not sufficient may include imported LNG projects being developed in Matola, which will be able to provide additional gas into the ROMPCO pipeline. KFP is also proposing the development of approximately two 500m 275 and/or 132 kV overhead powerlines from the proposed power plant to the existing Eskom Khanyazwe substation. The power plant will provide a mid-merit power profile to the national grid.

KFP is being created within the framework of the energy transition because, in addition to initially replacing coal power, the project’s energy will gradually function as a renewable energy balancer and, in the long run, potentially be converted to green fuel alternatives as and when these alternatives become available.

Author: Bryan Groenendaal