[miningmx.com] – THE threat of supply wet coal to power stations could not be completely ameliorated, said South African power utility Eskom which added that efforts to ramp-up its Majuba power station was progressing.
A coal silo collapsed at Majuba on November 1 reducing power at the installation by 3,000MW and forcing Eskom to impose load-shedding through South Africa on November 2. Power had since been restored to about 1,400MW at Majuba, it said.
“The Recovery Programme at the Majuba Power Station is proceeding well and has far exceeded our expectations,” Eskom said in a statement.
“Teams are working 24/7 moving coal from stock piles to the conveyer belts which are the link to the generating units,” it said.
“The wet weather does pose a challenge especially at Majuba given that some of the coal handling is taking place out in the open.
“We have implemented a wet coal management strategy to ensure that the wet coal risk is reduced in our other power stations.
“It is however not possible to neutralise this risk completely, especially over periods of prolonged, high rainfall,” said Eskom.
