- Eskom reports that on Sunday, 3 November 2024, at approximately 17:04, Unit 6 at Kriel Power Station correctly tripped following the loss of hydraulic oil to the turbine valves.
- 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.
- Investigations are underway as the cause and extent of damage.
- The 500MW unit may not be recoverable.
Eskom assures South Africans that this incident will not impact the current generation capacity or lead to loadshedding. The ongoing, incremental results of the Generation Recovery Plan have continually added more of a “buffer” to the system to manage incidents such as this. The system has sufficient reserves.
The station’s fire and emergency team responded swiftly to extinguish and contain the fire. Eskom can confirm no personnel were injured, and all other units at the power station remain fully operational. The standard investigation procedure in now underway to assess the extent of the damage, as well as the time required for repairs and restoration. Eskom will make a further announcement when the results of this investigation are finalised.
Early indications reveal an explosion occurred blowing a large hole through the roof.
Watch video of fire at Kriel Power Station via X here
Impact on Power Supply
Kriel Power Station Unit 6 contributes 475MW to the power grid. With this unit temporarily offline, total unplanned outages stand at 8 483MW—still 4 517MW below the base case for summer 2024.
The current available generation capacity is 30 809MW, while today’s peak demand is forecasted at 26 364MW. There are currently adequate reserves for evening peak, with an additional 720MW anticipated to return to service later today, Monday 4 November 2024.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
