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Eskom's race against time to keep lights on

Johannesburg - Eskom is hoping to obtain an environmental licence that will allow its Kriel power station in Mpumalanga to keep running.

"We applied to the department of environmental affairs to have a licence that complies with environmental regulations and we are waiting for feedback," spokesperson Andrew Etzinger said on Wednesday.

The station has been operating outside its licensing conditions because the emissions do not comply with environmental regulations.

That forced the power utility to apply for special permission to continue operating.

"If we don't receive relaxation tough decisions would have to be made, and it would be a challenge that would put Eskom under severe pressure," Etzinger said.

The current licence would expire on December 31.

Environmental affairs department spokesperson Albi Modise said industries such as Eskom, holding Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act licences, were required to apply to convert these to atmospheric emission licences by March 2013.

Eskom had raised concerns about being unable to comply with the provisions of its atmospheric emission licenses for the Duvha, Kriel, and Matla power stations.

Talks were held between Eskom and the environmental affairs, water, public enterprises and energy departments to find a solution, Modise said in a statement.

He said Eskom was advised it could apply for a five-year postponement of the time frame for compliance through the environmental affairs department's national air quality officer.

Etzinger said the problem arose when new environmental laws came into effect this year.

"We would need R7bn to upgrade Kriel and it would take two years to bring it compliance with the new rules," he said.

At present, the company had not decided on what action it would take if the station was shut down.

"We are hopeful to obtain a variation from the licence to enable Eskom to upgrade," he said.

Kriel contributed 3000 megawatts to the national grid. Its shut down would put pressure on the power supply, with construction of the new Medupi power station in Lephalale behind schedule.


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