Pretoria West power station
| Part of the Global Coal Plant Tracker, a Global Energy Monitor project. |
| Related coal trackers: |
Pretoria West power station is a mothballed power station in Pretoria, Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Pretoria West power station | Pretoria, Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa | -25.75839, 28.14667 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6: -25.75839, 28.14667
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | mothballed[1] | coal: anthracite | 30 | subcritical | 1952 |
| Unit 2 | mothballed[1] | coal: anthracite | 30 | subcritical | 1952 |
| Unit 3 | mothballed[1] | coal: anthracite | 30 | subcritical | 1952 |
| Unit 4 | mothballed[1] | coal: anthracite | 30 | subcritical | 1952 |
| Unit 5 | mothballed[1] | coal: anthracite | 30 | subcritical | 1952 |
| Unit 6 | mothballed[1] | coal: anthracite | 30 | subcritical | 1952 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Tshwane Electricity Division [100%] | Tshwane Electricity Division [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Tshwane Electricity Division [100%] | Tshwane Electricity Division [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Tshwane Electricity Division [100%] | Tshwane Electricity Division [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Tshwane Electricity Division [100%] | Tshwane Electricity Division [100.0%] |
| Unit 5 | Tshwane Electricity Division [100%] | Tshwane Electricity Division [100.0%] |
| Unit 6 | Tshwane Electricity Division [100%] | Tshwane Electricity Division [100.0%] |
Background
Pretoria West power station is a coal-fired power plant with a total capacity of 180 MW. The plant was built in 1952, and is owned by Tshwane Electricity Division.[2]
In April 2015, the City of Tshwane said it was seeking proposals to renovate two coal-fired power plants to their original design capacity: Pretoria West power station and Rooiwal power station. Both were operating considerably below their capacity partly because they have been designed to use anthracite, a grade of coal that is more profitable to export.[3]
The initiative was considered unsuccessful by March 2016 after the municipality missed a September 2015 deadline to appoint the successful bidders.[4]
However, in April 2019, the City of Tshwane planned to revive the process to lease its coal-fired power station. Executive Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa said the City would invite proposals from private companies in the energy sector to upgrade the facility. In addition, the Pretoria West power station would be transformed from its usage of coal to generate power to using waste for energy.[4]
In September 2019, the City asked the National Treasury for legal guidance on how to proceed to implement a deal.[5]
However, in May 2021, Mayor Randall Williams declared the City bankrupt, saying the National Treasury found its liability exceeded assets by R3 billion. A councillor noted the Rooiwal and Pretoria West power stations must be revamped and recommissioned to supplement Eskom power shortages.[6]
In June 2021, it was unknown whether the units were operating or not. The World Electric Power Plants Database listed the six units as retired but does not list a retirement year.[7]
According to later reports, the power station had only been "gathering dust" since 2013, and it was presumed to be mothballed.[8]
In early June 2024, a fire broke out in the power station’s switch gear room, causing the roof and part of the room’s walls to collapse. The fire also affected a nearby substation, leading to power outages in Pretoria West.[9]
Potential Conversion and Revival Plans
According to the Department Of Mineral Resources And Energy's 2022 Gas Master Plan, the City of Tshwane was planning to revive plans to lease and upgrade its power station with the aim of transforming the feedstock usage from anthracite (a grade of coal that is more profitable to export) to fossil gas.[10]
In early June 2022, the City of Tshwane launched a climate action plan, which includes a commitment to being net-zero carbon by 2050. The media announcement states: "We are the first metropolitan municipality in South Africa to identify Climate Risk Zones, which are geographical areas that are at risk of being severely affected by climate hazards. The actions in our plan aim to reduce the exposure that vulnerable communities may face due to climate change. Our plan is thus strongly guided by a scientific evidence base, using data to inform our strategies for the future."[11] In order to honor this announcement, it is very unlikely that the Pretoria West coal plant would come back online.
In August 2022, controversy struck when an unsolicited bid worth R26 billion planned to bring the plant, along with the twin Rooiwal power station, back online for 30 years. The power station would be run on gas by a private company called the Kratos Consortium.[12] Opponents of the proposal highlighted sustainability concerns and questioned the lack of formal bidding process. After being accused of influencing senior municipal officials to endorse the plan, the mayor of Tshwane withdrew the proposal.[13]
In October and November 2022, South African utility Eskom was looking to facilitate a similar deal. The general manager of Eskom real estate sought to connect Tshwane with companies that could lease the two power stations' land and operate as Independent Power Producers. The Pretoria West and Rooiwal sites reportedly had "strong potential" for both solar and gas projects.[13]
In May 2023, it was reported that the city of Tshwane was again pursuing independent power production plans and had started a competitive bidding process to bring in outside entities to revive Pretoria West power station and Rooiwal power station.[14] However, the mayor of Tshwane reportedly said that Pretoria West power station's infrastructure was in "poor condition" and would be difficult to include in a power generation plan.[15]
According to reporting from September 2023, the city was spending R300 million a year on staff salaries and maintenance at the mothballed Pretoria West power station and Rooiwal power station. The Tshwane city council announced that it wanted to lease the power stations on 40-year contracts to independent power producers that would upgrade and manage the power stations.[16] Rooiwal was reportedly in need of capital upgrades, while complete refurbishment would be required at Pretoria West.[17] Union workers expressed concern about a private-public partnership for the lease and its potential impact on the more than 200 employees at the power stations.[18]
As of October 2023, a public participation process about the lease was underway and open for comment.[19] Pending the public participation process, the city reportedly aimed to issue requests for proposals and then obtain contracts by the end of June 2024.[20]
In January 2024, the City of Tshwane Council approved a plan to lease Pretoria West power station and Rooiwal power station to private operators for 40-year leases. According to the mayor, "Council approval is one of the six steps to get the two power stations running again."[21] Another Tshwane spokesman said that Pretoria West required "a complete overhaul in any event, so there we will look at gas/biomass/waste to energy solutions."[22]
In June 2024, the city was in the process of appointing a “transaction adviser” to evaluate the prospects of reviving Pretoria West and Rooiwal power station before issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP). The possibility of reviving coal generation at the fire-damaged[9] Pretoria West was unclear. Tshwane’s mayor reportedly acknowledged that the “key asset” at the mothballed power stations was their proximity to existing grid networks.[23]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125132124/https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/we-have-been-doing-nothing-for-10-years-idle-tshwane-power-stations-cost-the-city-billions-20230919. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ “Pretoria West Coal Power Station South Africa,” Global Energy Observatory, accessed June 8, 2021
- ↑ "Tshwane Seeks Proposals to Renovate Coal-Fired Power Plants," Bloomberg, April 28, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 “Plan to upgrade Tshwane coal-fired power stations,” Energy Central, April 9, 2019
- ↑ “City plans to revive two power stations to boost the electricity grid,” IOL, September 24, 2019
- ↑ “Tshwane is officially bankrupt, says mayor Randall Williams,” IOL, May 27, 2021
- ↑ “World Electric Power Plants Database,” S&P Global Platts, accessed June 2021 (purchase required)
- ↑ “City of Tshwane Admits It's Still at the Drawing Board with IPPs,” Eyewitness News, August 24, 2022
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 “Large parts of Pretoria West without power after switch gear room catches alight,” Times Live, June 8, 2024
- ↑ "Gas Master Plan 2022," Department Of Mineral Resources And Energy, September 2021
- ↑ "City of Tshwane launches Climate Action Plan to lead the way in building a climate-resilient city to combat the impacts of climate change," City of Tshwane, June 8, 2022
- ↑ “Tshwane Mayor defends 'catalyst' power proposal on 30-year lease to consortium,” News24, August 19, 2022
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 “Eskom interested in acquiring land parcels adjacent to Tshwane’s Rooiwal, Pretoria West power stations,” IOL, November 9, 2022
- ↑ "Tshwane still plans to bring ‘white elephant’ power stations to life," Pretoria Rekord, May 18, 2023
- ↑ "Tshwane-owned Pretoria West power station in poor condition, says mayor Cilliers Brink," IOL, May 23, 2023
- ↑ "'We have been doing nothing for 10 years': Idle Tshwane power stations cost the City billions," News24, September 19, 2023
- ↑ "Tshwane wants to lease Rooiwal, Pretoria West power stations," IOL, September 13, 2023
- ↑ "Union workers unhappy about leasing out Rooiwal, Pretoria West Power Stations," SABC News, September 19, 2023
- ↑ "Public participation process to lease Rooiwal Power Station and Pretoria West Power Station is open for public comments," City of Tshwane, September 29, 2023
- ↑ "Pretoria’s plan to stop wasting R300 million a year on unused power stations," MyBroadband, October 27, 2023
- ↑ "Pretoria West station approved for 40-year lease," Pretoria Rekord, February 9, 2024
- ↑ "Power-Starved South African Region Turns to Elderly Coal Plant," Bloomberg, January 26, 2024
- ↑ “City of Tshwane pushing ahead with plan to procure 1000 MW by 2026,” Engineering News, June 19, 2024
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
