Out with the old, in with the new: Komati is being used to demonstrate how old power plants can be repurposed.
People living near the Komati power station, although hopeful that repurposing the coal-fired plant to renewable energy will provide jobs and revive economic activity in the area, remain sceptical.
This comes after Eskom and the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) visited the area and provided an update on plans for the plant’s future, which include reskilling programmes that will start in August and September for both employees and residents.
The closure of the power station in October last year caused a decline in economic activity in the area. Many businesses relocated, and unemployment rose as people lost their jobs.
People highlighted the plight of contractors who lost their livelihoods and questioned whether the transition will fully consider their needs and aspirations.
Siyabonga Zulu, a former contractor at Eskom, said he hoped the reskilling initiatives would create new opportunities for the town and other contractors. He voiced concerns about the realisation of these plans, stating that they were not adequately consulted about the closure of the plant and the subsequent actions.
“We had to wait for eight months to be told what was next for the power plant after not being thoroughly consulted about the closure. If we have to take the PCC’s reports about what is going to happen, we can say we welcome that there will be action and that the town will once again start having activity which will help feed our families,” he said.
Karabo Mthenjwa, a former Eskom contractor, said: “We have people who lost jobs and I’m one of the victims from 2018. But now the chances are coming back, are they going to cater for everyone?
“We understand that they will transfer us, but now, what about the contractors? Lots of people are at home; some have their houses taken, cars repossessed.
Another contractor said: “So, I was hoping that the new transition was going to include my fellow community members to benefit because there are people who went to the university, like myself, and now, I have lost the job.”
Edward Nyambi, ANC ward councillor for Komati in Steve Tshwete local municipality where Komati is situated, said business remains “dull” and only one supermarket has to cater for everyone’s needs.
“The supermarket has to cater for everyone, and obviously people expect it to provide jobs, but we all know that is impossible. If this just energy transition is to succeed, people must be assured there are jobs after coal is gone,” he said.
The Komati plant was commissioned in 1961 but mothballed for 18 years until its revival in 2008 under Eskom’s return-to-service programme.
The World Bank approved a $497 million concessional loan facility to Eskom in November last year for the Komati plant’s repowering and repurposing project.
This funding supports the decommissioning of the coal plant and transforming it to a renewable energy hub and battery usage project, which creates income opportunities for people in the area.
In May, during a PCC meeting, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe, described Komati’s decommissioning as an example of an “unjust energy transition” as 125 megawatts of baseload power has been traded off for 220 megawatts of green power, while 2 000 jobs have been exchanged for 200.
But, Eskom said, its employees resigned, retired or were transferred and, by 2020, only 276 people still worked on site.
The acting manager of Komati, Jurie Pieterse, was optimistic about the project’s success. He said funding was in place, and estimates the station will be fully transformed by 2026.
A series of activities are set to begin in August, including training sessions for employees, and a planned solar mounting and installation course for non-employees in September.
Eskom plans to install 150 megawatts of solar, 70 megawatts of wind, 150 megawatts of battery storage and an asynchronous condenser in the first phase.
There are short-term jobs available in alien vegetation removal as well as crop farming.
Lebogang Mulaisi, the PCC’s chief operations officer, said she was satisfied with the progress being made in repurposing the Komati plant, despite the difficulties encountered. She acknowledged the need to address concerns related to re-skilling, relocation and sustaining economic activity in the area.
“The success of the project will not only impact the community but may also serve as a blueprint for similar energy transitions across South Africa and beyond,” she said.
Mandisa Nyathi is a climate reporting fellow, funded by the Open Society Foundation for South Africa.