The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment (DFFE) has confirmed that Minister Barbara Creecy is still adjudicating an appeal of the National Air Quality Officer’s (NAQO’s) decision to postpone a requirement for the Kusile power station to meet Minimum Emission Standards.

The NAQO, in concurrence with the Nkangala District Municipality, confirmed on June 25 that it had granted a postponement from June 5, 2023, until March 31, 2025.

The decision opened the way for Eskom to begin operating three units that have been out of service since October last year using temporary stacks that bypass the flue gas desulphurisation plant.

The units became inoperable on October 23 after the Unit 1 flue duct collapsed due to a build-up of slurry. The collapse also compromised the Unit 2 and Unit 3 flue ducts, which share a chimney with the Unit 1 flue.

On July 6, the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action and groundWork, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, confirmed that they were appealing the decision.

The environmental groups stressed that they shared the concerns about loadshedding and its impacts on the economy and livelihoods. However, they questioned whether Eskom and the NAQO adequately evaluated the proposed solutions given the expected consequences and costs of the bypass.

“The increased emissions from Kusile are projected to resultin 670 excess deaths, 3 000 asthma emergency room visits, 720 000 days of work absence and a societal costs of health impacts to the tune of up to R24-billion,” the groups said. They added that bypassing the FGD would result in 280000 t of sulphur dioxide emissions and a 40% increase in the emission of mercury.

During the appeal, Eskom is disallowed from returning the three 720 MW apiece units, the absence of which has contributed to 2023 being South Africa’s worst-ever year for loadshedding.

The utility indicated recently that the project to build temporary stacks on units 1, 2 and 3 was ahead of schedule and that Unit 3 was now due for return on October 14, rather than the November 28 date initially communicated.

Under the revised schedule, once Unit 3, which is said to be ready for commissioning, is returned, it will be followed by Unit 1 on October 30, and Unit 2 on November 30.

Speaking following a seminar on future grid financing options, Electricity Minister Kgosietsho Ramokgopa reported that meeting the new return-to-service schedule “was a function of receiving an approval from the Minister [Creecy]”.

He said Creecy was applying her mind to the matter and that he would “not be placing any pressure on her” to make a decision.

Ramokgopa confirmed that Eskom had provided Creecy with its response to the issues raised in the appeal.

“So, it’s up to the Minister to either uphold the appeal or to reject it [and] that’s what we are waiting for,” he added.

DFFE spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa confirmed to Engineering News & Mining Weekly that an appeal had been received and indicated that it was envisaged that the decision would bethe finalised in 30 days.