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Eskom Brings Kusile Unit 6 to Commercial Operation, Adding 800MW and Finalizing Build Programme

The utility will count the unit’s output in Energy Availability Factor reporting, signaling the close of its coal megaproject build.

Overview

  • The move completes the 12‑unit Kusile–Medupi fleet, which Eskom says can provide up to 9,600MW when fully available.
  • Unit 6 was synchronized on 23 March 2025 and supplied power during testing but its output was excluded from official figures until now.
  • Eskom frames the milestone as part of its Generation Operational Recovery Plan, saying the unit met benchmarks and contributed to demand 97% of the time since March.
  • Kusile is described as the first plant in South Africa and on the continent to use wet flue gas desulphurisation to curb sulphur dioxide emissions.
  • The achievement comes after years of delays and cost overruns highlighted by energy specialist Anton Eberhard, with corruption prosecutions related to Kusile upgrade contracts still under way.