Medupi Power Station
| Medupi Power Station | |
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 Location of Medupi Power Station in South Africa
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| Country | South Africa |
| Location | Lephalale |
| Coordinates | 23°42′00″S 27°33′00″E / 23.70000°S 27.55000°ECoordinates: 23°42′00″S 27°33′00″E / 23.70000°S 27.55000°E |
| Status | Under construction |
| Commission date | 2015 Q1 |
| Owner(s) | Eskom |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Coal |
| Power generation | |
| Units under const. | 6 × 794 MW |
| Nameplate capacity | 4,764 MW |
Medupi Power Station is a dry-cooled coal-fired power station being built by Eskom near Lephalale in Limpopo province, South Africa. According to Eskom, the name chosen for the station, Medupi, is a Sepedi word for "rain that soaks parched lands".
Originally conceived as Project Alpha in 2007, with only three units to total 2400MW and cost R32 billion, the design was changed at a late stage in 2007 and doubled in size to 4764MW. Initial project cost was given as R69 billion but that was updated to approximately R80 billion later in 2007.
When completed, the power station is to have six boilers each powering an 800 MW turbine, producing 4800 MW of power. It is expected to become the largest dry-cooled coal-fired power station in the world.Alstom will provide the steam turbines, Medupi will be supplied by coal from Exxaro's Grootegeluk coal mine, located north of the site. Eskom has placed a contract with Exxaro to supply 14.6 MT of coal per year for 40 years. Completion of the first two units was expected by 2012 but various delays have impacted on progress. The first 794 MW unit was commissioned and handed over to Eskom Generation on 23 August 2015. Units 5 to 1 will be completed at approximately nine-month intervals. The power station was initially expected to cost R80 billion (2007 Rands), and then was revised to cost R154 billion.(2013 Rands) Currently the cost of Medupi is estimated at R195 billion. (2016 Rands)
On the 18 February 2015 the Public Enterprises minister, Lynne Brown, announced that the number 6 turbine is running at the optimum speed of 3000 revolutions per minute. Official news reports stated that the turbine will add 794 megawatts to the national grid.
On the 22 February 2016 the number 5 turbine was being load tested at a max load of 794 megawatts. Commercial operation is estimated to be March 2018. (2016)
The building of the coal power station has attracted criticism. Critics have alleged that the government pushed the project forward because the African National Congress held a 25% share of the venture and stood to make a profit of close to 1 billion rand on the deal. Backers of the project argued that the plant is needed. Some critics say that effective management of coal supplies was needed, not another coal station.
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