Reliable power supply the key

THE reliable supply of cost-effective power to the Alcan smelter was the key to the decision to invest in South Africa.

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) said that electricity utility Eskom had been part of the negotiations “virtually since inception and will be investing R6,3-billion in infrastructure to support it”.

To meet the demand, Eskom will be expanding its capacity between the Poseidon sub-station near Cookhouse and the Grassridge sub-station neighbouring the Coega IDZ.

A new 400 kV transmission line will be installed, in addition to the upgrading of the existing 220kV line to 400kV and doubling the size of the Grassridge substation.

Additional power needs for Coega are being planned for through a proposed Coega integrated liquefied natural gas-to-power project in the Coega IDZ that will play a crucial role.

Eskom Eastern Cape spokesman Barry MacColl said the project was an integrated power project within the Coega Industrial Development Zone‘s Port of Ngqura.

Eskom and the South African gas development company iGas, a national gas infrastructure company, had been investigating the feasibility of developing this project.

The project would ultimately consist of a liquefied natural gas terminal, two 1 200 mW combined cycle gas turbine power plant units, gas pipelines for the transmission, distribution and reticulation of natural gas within the Coega IDZ and Port of Ngqura, and electricity transmission lines to transmit electricity into the national grid.