record-13.3-pg-13-24-1-24613c0bb7573bb6.pdf

This document is an excerpt from Eskom's Air Quality Improvement Plan, detailing the strategy to reduce particulate and gaseous emissions from its power stations. It outlines a phased and prioritised approach to compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES), focusing on retrofitting the highest emitting and newest stations first. The plan identifies critical constraints including funding, water availability on the Highveld, and skilled human resources, while proposing air quality offsets in vulnerable communities to mitigate local pollution.

• Eskom has set specific relative emission reduction targets to be achieved by FY2026: particulate matter (PM) emissions are to be reduced by 63%, SO2 emissions by 18%, and NOx emissions by 23%.
• The company has adopted a 'phased and prioritised approach' to compliance with Minimum Emission Standards because full compliance is deemed not feasible without compromising financial and operational sustainability. This strategy targets the highest emitting stations first and prioritises newer, larger stations due to their longer remaining life.
• The emission reduction plan carries significant financial and operational implications, including a CAPEX cost of R107 billion (FY2016 nominal cost excluding IDC) and annual OPEX costs of approximately R1.3 billion. It is also expected to increase water consumption by 5% (16 million m³/annum) and produce 2.7 million tons of FGD by-product waste annually.
• Water availability is a critical constraint for Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) retrofits on the Highveld, with sufficient water expected only when the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Transfer Scheme becomes operational, currently scheduled for 2023.
• Eskom is implementing air quality offsets to reduce pollution in vulnerable communities, such as replacing coal-burning stoves with cleaner energy or improving insulation. These offsets are a condition for approved Minimum Emission Standards postponements and are required for all power stations on the Highveld, including Lethabo.
• The plan identifies several internal and external risks, including a lack of alignment between Eskom departments causing retrofit delays, insufficient skilled resources for design and construction, and the threat of criminal prosecution or plant shutdowns due to non-compliance with emissions.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). record-13.3-pg-13-24-1-24613c0bb7573bb6.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-13.3-pg-13-24-1.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. record-13.3-pg-13-24-1-24613c0bb7573bb6.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-13.3-pg-13-24-1.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=record-13.3-pg-13-24-1-24613c0bb7573bb6.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-13.3-pg-13-24-1.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndrecord133pg1324124613c0bb7573bb6pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{record-13.3-pg-13-24-1-24613c0bb7573bb6.pdf}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Record-13.3-pg-13-24-1.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }