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11 August 2008 - South African utility Eskom has unveiled its new name for a 4.8 GW coal fired plant under construction in Mpumalanga: Kusile, a seSwati/Ndebele word meaning "dawn has come".
Previously referred to as Project Bravo, Eskom has unveiled the name of the 4 818 MW capacity power station. And, considering the utility's struggle to meet burgeoning electricity demand, Kusile may be an appropriate word to herald a new era of electricity supply by 2013.
Located outside Witbank in Mpumalanga, Kusile will consist of six units each rated at about 800 MW installed capacity. It will also be Eskom's second most advanced coal project after Medupi, which is currently under construction in Limpopo.
Eskom is on schedule to deliver the first 803MW Kusile unit by 2013. This would be followed by an additional unit every eight months.
The R80bn ($10.4bn) power station will be Eskom's first to make use of flue gas desulphurisation technology, which removes sulphur oxides from the exhaust flue gases in coal-burning power plants. Eskom CEO Jacob Maroga said this would be in line with current international practice to reduce emissions and ensure compliance with air quality standards.
"In the next 18 months, the construction of this power station will create up to 5 000 jobs, and this will increase to 8 000 at the peak of the project," Maroga said.
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