- Yesterday, at approximately 5:00 PM, a transformer explosion occurred at Matla Power Station in Mpumalanga, affecting Unit 6. As a precautionary measure, Unit 5 was taken offline to ensure the safety of all employees and contractors on-site.
Initial reports indicate that 9 employees were injured with one in critical condition.
“Our first thoughts are with those who have been injured and we are ensuring they get the medical attention they need. All emergency protocols have been activated,” said Eskom Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo.
“Our technical teams are on-site assessing the situation and will continue to do so throughout the evening and into tomorrow. The suspension of loadshedding remains unchanged,” said Eskom.
This incident follows a major fire at Kriel Power Station where unit 6 was destroyed last month. A preliminary investigation revealed that an oil pipe had broken, causing an oil spill on the hot surfaces of the turbine, which triggered a fire. Read more
Sabotage threat
Eskom has experienced many incidences of deliberate sabotage of critical power generation equipment. On 8 October 2024, the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court sentenced Tseliso Ramosebetsi to 15 years in prison. Ramosebetsi was caught cutting and removing copper cables from the coal conveyor belt, a vital component of Duvha Power Station’s operations. Ramosebetsi and his accomplice, Mpho Johannes Machekela, were apprehended on 26 March 2024 after being detected through drone surveillance. While Ramosebetsi has been brought to justice, Machekela absconded from trial, and a warrant for his arrest has been issued.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
1 Comment
You are unlikely to get diddly out of Eskom on this until the insurance man rules. Meanwhile standby for ongoing spin from the usual devoted gang of experts.
Units 5 ,6 share some commonalties on the coal supply side but are otherwise “mostly” independent on the operations side
There is little likelihood of a “pop” on the steam side affecting either GSU or Station Transformers directly although the rubber hits the road underneath the turbine platform – where Hp steam getting in the iso busbars, and associated protection and control scheme kit and wiring would cause serious faults, Perhaps this triggered the transformer “explosion”