Morupule Power Station

Morupule Power Station
Location of Morupule Power Station in Botswana
Country	Botswana
Location	Palapye
Coordinates	22°31′12″S 27°02′12″E / 22.52000°S 27.03667°E / -22.52000; 27.03667Coordinates: 22°31′12″S 27°02′12″E / 22.52000°S 27.03667°E / -22.52000; 27.03667
Status	Operational
Construction began	Morupule A: 1982 Morupule B: 2010
Commission date	Morupule A: 1989 Morupule B: 2014
Owner(s)	Botswana Power Corporation
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Coal
Power generation
Units operational	Morupule A: 4 × 33 MW Morupule B: 4 x 150 MW
Nameplate capacity	Morupule A: 132 MW Morupule B: 600 MW

Morupule Power Station is a coal-fired power station near Palapye, Botswana. Run by the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), it comprises four 33 MW air-cooled units. It uses coal from the adjacent Morupule Colliery and provides about 80% of the country's domestic power generation.

Owned by the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), Morupule Power Station comprises four 33 MW coal-fired units, with coal supplied from the adjacent Morupule Colliery. The station provided about 80% of the country's domestic power generation. Construction on the existing station started in 1982 and was completed in 1989.

The government has sourced funds to renovate and restore Morupule A. Plans are to return Morupule A to its full 132 MW capacity with a life span of 20 years. In March 2016 Doosan secured the contract for the 132 MW plant from BPC. The first turbine will go into operation in 2017.

BPC was considering an expansion of the Morupule Power Station since 2006. BPC eventually decided on 600 MW, consisting of four 150 MW units. According to BPC, the impetus for the project was the country's reliance on importing approximately 80% of its power from the South African utility, Eskom. The project was expected to be completed by October 2012, but by the end of 2013 only two units were in operation. BPC said the delay was due to mismanagement by the plant contractor China National Electric Equipment Corporation (CNEEC). The other two units were completed in 2014. But since then, the plant has been beset with delays and machine failures, forcing the facility to run at about a third of its capacity.