record-11.1-to-11.2-8792536714d0a5e6.pdf

This executive summary and accompanying board submission detail Eskom's Air Quality Strategy as of February 2015. The document outlines the company's inability to fully comply with South Africa's National Emission Standards by 2020 due to water scarcity, required outage durations, and financial constraints. Instead, Eskom proposes a phased approach involving targeted emission abatement retrofits, air quality offsets for low-income households, and applications for legal postponements of compliance deadlines.

• Eskom determined that full compliance with the National Emission Standards by 2020 is impossible because it would jeopardize the company's sustainability. The primary constraints include the lack of water needed for flue gas desulphurisation before 2022, the requirement that at least 14% of the coal-fired fleet be on outage between 2017 and 2020 for retrofits, and a projected tariff increase of at least 25%.
• To demonstrate a 'duty of care' and achieve 60% compliance with Minimum Emission Standards, Eskom's plan includes fabric filter plant retrofits at up to 6 full and 2 half stations, De-NOx retrofits at the 4 highest emitting stations, and flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) at Medupi during its first General Overhaul cycle and at Kendal, pending feasibility and resources.
• The total capital expenditure (CAPEX) for the emission reduction plan is estimated at approximately R90 billion, with annual operating costs for FGD at Medupi estimated at R900 million.
• Eskom submitted a request to the Department of Environmental Affairs in February 2014 for a 5-year postponement of compliance with National Emission Standards. Preliminary feedback suggests most requests will be granted, though the authorities may impose more stringent emission limits than requested and require air quality offsets as a condition for approval.
• Eskom is pursuing air quality offsets to reduce solid fuel combustion in low-income households, citing a 2004 FRIDGE study that attributed 70% of air quality-related health problems on the Highveld to domestic coal and wood combustion, compared to 5% from Eskom's emissions. A pilot study began in July 2014 in KwaZamokuhle, Mpumalanga, with a large-scale roll-out estimated to cost R1 billion.
• There are significant risks to the implementation of the strategy, including funding uncertainties and changes in design and contracting strategies. Specifically, the Tutuka fabric filter plant retrofit has been delayed by 5 years from its original 2010 schedule. Failure to meet commitments to authorities could result in the shutdown of power stations.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). record-11.1-to-11.2-8792536714d0a5e6.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-11.1-to-11.2.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. record-11.1-to-11.2-8792536714d0a5e6.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-11.1-to-11.2.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=record-11.1-to-11.2-8792536714d0a5e6.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-11.1-to-11.2.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndrecord111to1128792536714d0a5e6pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{record-11.1-to-11.2-8792536714d0a5e6.pdf}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-11.1-to-11.2.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }