duvha-ael-variation-request_final_jan14-d3a833e92a946554.pdf

Eskom has submitted an emergency request to the Nkangala District Municipality to vary the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) for Duvha Power Station. The request seeks a 'grace period' allowing specific units to exceed particulate emission limits during maintenance and emergency repairs, specifically to address a leaking sulphur tank that poses a safety risk and threatens power supply stability.

• Eskom is requesting a variation of Duvha Power Station's Atmospheric Emission Licence (number 17/4/AEL/MP312/1 1/07) under section 46 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 39 of 2004, citing the need to "accommodate demands brought about by impacts on socio-economic circumstances".
• The request is categorized as an emergency due to a leak in the sulphur tank supplying SO3 plants for Units 4, 5, and 6. Repairing the leak requires shutting down the SO3 plants for three weeks, which would cause at least two of the three units to exceed the 200 mg/Nm³ particulate emission limit.
• Eskom argues that shutting down Units 4-6 (combined capacity of 1800 MW) for the required three-week repair period would "severely compromising Eskom's ability to meet the national electricity demand" and likely cause load-shedding.
• The proposed variation includes a grace period for particulate emissions: Units 1-3 (fabric filter plants) would have a 300 mg/Nm³ average daily limit during on-load rebags and re-commissioning; Units 4-6 (electrostatic precipitators) could exceed normal limits for 37 days per unit per year (117 days per stack per year) for on-line maintenance.
• Beyond the emergency repair, Eskom justifies the grace period by noting that Duvha Power Station is "beyond its mid-life" and faces operational challenges that increase emissions, including coal quality variability, dust handling plant breakdowns, and low back-end temperatures during winter.
• To reduce future emissions, Eskom plans a fabric filter plant retrofit for Units 4-6, intended to lower particulate emissions to below 50 mg/Nm³ by 2020. These retrofits are scheduled for completion between 2021 and 2023, pending funding and approvals.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). duvha-ael-variation-request_final_jan14-d3a833e92a946554.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Duvha-AEL-variation-request_final_Jan14.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. duvha-ael-variation-request_final_jan14-d3a833e92a946554.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Duvha-AEL-variation-request_final_Jan14.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=duvha-ael-variation-request_final_jan14-d3a833e92a946554.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Duvha-AEL-variation-request_final_Jan14.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndduvhaaelvariationrequestfinaljan14d3a833e92a946554pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{duvha-ael-variation-request\_final\_jan14-d3a833e92a946554.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Duvha-AEL-variation-request_final_Jan14.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }