Ingula Unit 4 has been handed over for commercial operation, adding an additional 333MW to the grid.

According to Eskom, this is the first Ingula unit to be handed over and will assist in ensuring further security of supply. Unit 4 was synchronised to the national grid on 25 March 2016 and has been undergoing optimisation while supporting the national grid.

“This moment in time is the culmination of many years and countless hours of work, and that are immensely proud and conscious of the significance of this Ingula Team’s achievement.  Through this effort, Eskom’s New Build Program is on track to deliver the much need capacity that South Africans require to grow the economy to ensure a better life for all,” says Abram Masango, Eskom’s Group Executive for Group Capital.

All four of Ingula’s units are scheduled for commercial operation in 2017, but Unit 4 was brought forward ahead of the 2017 schedule.

Ingula’s four units are located 350 m underground in the world’s largest machine hall in mud-rock. The Ingula project site spans the great divide over KwaZulu Natal and the Free State Provinces, separated by the Little Drakensberg mountain range.

To turn the more than 500 ton rotating mass of the generator rotor and turbine, water is released from Ingula’s upper dam, Bedford Dam, situated 460 m higher and two kilometres away. Water flows at high speeds down to the turbines at around 60 km per hour with enough water passing through each turbine to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in six seconds. Rotating at 428 revolutions per minute, each unit will produce 333MW, a total for the station of 1 332MW.

On completion of all four units, Ingula will be Africa’s newest and largest pumped storage scheme and the 19th largest in the world. Part of Eskom’s Peaking fleet of power stations, Ingula should be able to respond to demand increases on the national grid within two-and-a-half minutes.

 

Updates on Units 1 – 3

Ingula units 3, 2 and 1 are on track for commercial operation in 2017.

Ingula unit 3 is currently under repair based on an incident that was experienced during the optimsation process, post synchronisation.  This unit was synchronised to the national grid on 6 March 2016 and supported the grid until 6 April 2016 when the incident occurred.

Ingula unit 2 was synchronised to the national grid on 22 May 2016 and is under optimisation. Ingula unit 1 is still under construction.