List of power stations in South Africa


South Africa produces around electricity annually.2015 est. Most of this electricity is consumed domestically, but around 12,000 gigawatt-hours are annually exported to Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and other Southern African Development Community countries participating in the Southern African Power Pool. South Africa supplements its electricity supply by importing around 9,000 GWh per year from the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric generation station in Mozambique via the 1,920 MW Cahora Bassa high-voltage direct current transmission system of which 1500 MW is sold to South Africa.
Most power stations in South Africa are owned and operated by Eskom. These plants account for 95% of all the electricity produced in South Africa and 45% of all electricity produced on the African continent.
In terms of share of GDP in 2012, South Africa was the 4th largest investor in renewable power in the world after Uruguay, Mauritius and Costa Rica.
The following is a list of electricity generating facilities within South Africa that are larger than 2 MW capacity. It contains currently operational facilities and facilities under construction. As far as possible the net power output in megawatts is listed, i.e. the maximum power the power station can deliver to the grid.
For notable facilities that are not operating or have been decommissioned see List of decommissioned power stations in South Africa

[Fossil fuel]s

Coal fired

South Africa has rich coal deposits concentrated in the north-east of the country and as such the majority of South Africa's coal-fired plants are located in the Mpumalanga province. Around 77% of South Africa's energy needs are directly derived from coal and 81% of all coal consumed domestically goes towards electricity production. Historically this has given South Africa access to cheap electricity, but it is also one of the leading reasons that the country is in the top 20 list of carbon dioxide emitting countries.
Power plantProvinceCoordinatesCapacity
MW
Date commissioned
Planned decommissioning datesOperatorNotes
Arnot Power StationMpumalanga2,3521971-19752025-2029Eskom
Camden Power StationMpumalanga1,5611967-1969;
2005-2008		2020-2023Eskom
Duvha Power StationMpumalanga3,6001980-19842030-2034Eskom
Grootvlei Power StationMpumalanga1,1801969-1977;
2008-2011		2025-2028EskomUnits 5 and 6 were the first test facilities for dry cooling in South Africa
Hendrina Power StationMpumalanga1,8931970-19762021-2027Eskom
Kelvin Power StationGauteng2141957Aldwych InternationalNameplate capacity
420 MW
Kendal Power StationMpumalanga4,1161988-19922038-2043EskomDry cooled; the largest dry-cooled power station in the world.
Komati Power StationMpumalanga9901961-1966;
2009-2013		2024-2028Eskom
Kriel Power StationMpumalanga3,0001976-19792026-2029Eskom
Kusile Power StationMpumalangaEskomUnder construction
Dry cooled
Delayed
Unit switch on dates: 2nd half 2017 to 2nd half 2021
Lethabo Power StationFree State3,7081985-19902035-2040Eskom
Majuba Power StationMpumalanga4,1101996–20012046-2050Eskom3 units dry cooled, 3 units wet cooled
Matimba Power StationLimpopo3,9901987-19912037-2041EskomDry-cooled
Matla Power StationMpumalanga3,6001979-19832029-2033Eskom
Medupi Power StationLimpopo1588
Eskom1st Unit Operational
Dry cooled
Delayed
Unit switch on dates: 2nd half 2015 to 1st half 2019
Pretoria West Power StationGauteng18019522016City of TshwaneNameplate capacity 190 MW
Rooiwal Power StationGauteng30019632025City of TshwaneNameplate capacity 600 MW
Tutuka Power StationMpumalanga3,6541985-19902035-2040Eskom
Total:40,036
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Gas turbine

Power plantProvinceCoordinatesInstalled capacity
Date
commissioned		OperatorNotes
Acacia Power StationWestern Cape1711976Eskom
Ankerlig Power StationWestern Cape13382007Eskom
Gourikwa Power StationWestern Cape7462007Eskom
Newcastle Cogeneration PlantKwaZulu-Natal182007IPSA Group
Port Rex Power StationEastern Cape1711976Eskom
Avon Peaking PowerKwaZulu-Natal,
670July 2016International power
Dedisa Peaking PowerEastern Cape,
335Oct 2015International powerR3.5 billion
Total:3449

[Low carbon power] and [renewable energy]

Hydroelectric

For a more complete list of hydro power stations from large to pico size, see the .

Nuclear

The two reactors at Koeberg are the only commercial nuclear power plants on the African continent and accounts for around 5% of South Africa's electricity production. Low and intermediate waste is disposed of at Vaalputs Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility in the Northern Cape.
Power plantProvinceCoordinatesCapacity
Annual output
GWh		Capacity factor %Date
commissioned		Notes
Koeberg nuclear power stationWestern Cape1,86013668841984

Wind power

constructed one small scale prototype wind farm at Klipheuwel in the Western Cape and another demonstrator site is near Darling with phase 1 completed.
The South African Department of Energy allocated 634 MW of wind capacity in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme – bid window 1.
In bid window 2, 562.5 MW capacity was allocated.
In bid window 3, 787 MW were allocated
In bid window 4, 676 MW was awarded.
In bid window 4, 687 MW was added.

Concentrated solar power

uses molten salt energy storage in a tower or trough configurations.
The South African Department of Energy allocated 150 MW of concentrated solar power capacity in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme – bid window 1.
In the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme: window 2, a capacity of 50 MW was allocated
In the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme: window 3, a capacity of 200 MW was allocated.
In an additional bid allocation, bid window 3.5, a further 200 MW was allocated.

Solar PV power

The South African Department of Energy allocated 631.53 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme – bid window 1.
In the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme bid window 2, a capacity of 417.1 MW was allocated.
In bid window 3, 435 MW was awarded.
In bid window 4, 415 MW was awarded.
In bid window 4, 398 MW was added.

Landfill gas power

Power plantProvinceCoordinatesInstalled capacity
MW
Annual output
GWh
Date
commissioned 		OperatorNotes
Johannesburg Landfill Gas to ElectricityGauteng
Mariannhill Landfill Gas to ElectricityKwaZulu-Natal12006eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
Bisasar Road Landfill Gas to ElectricityKwaZulu-Natal6.52009eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

Biomass power

Power plantProvinceCoordinatesInstalled capacity
MW
Annual output
GWh
Date
commissioned 		OperatorNotes
PetroSA Biogas ProjectWestern Cape,
4,22007PetroSA
Ngodwana Energy ProjectMpumalanga, NgodwanaQ3 2018SappiWood Pulp
MkuzeKwaZulu-Natal