Picture: for illustration purposes
Following the lengthy absence due to a flue-gas duct collapse in late 2022, two units of South Africa's Kusile coal power station have returned to service to mitigate the nation's persistent load-shedding issue. While this brings much relief to the economy and citizens dealing with power shortages, people residing near the power station are set to bear the brunt of the energy solution.
Forecasts by the Finland-based Centre for Research into Energy and Clean Air (CREA) indicate a projected 680 deaths and 3,000 asthma emergencies due to the high pollution levels from the emissions workaround employed at Kusile. This workaround was necessary for the power station to keep running as repairs continue and involved the use of smaller stacks which effectively ramp up emissions. Approval for this solution was granted by the Department of Forestries, Fisheries, and Environmental Affairs.
The negative impact on the local residents, however, seems to have been overshadowed by the urgency to bring the units back online and alleviate the load-shedding issue. However, critics, including Bobby Peek, executive director of Groundwork and Friends of the Earth South Africa, have stressed the need for 'social ownership' of energy, which involves households utilizing solar panels and feeding energy into the grid.
Eskom's pollution could potentially cost South Africa $26 billion in health impacts, according to calculations by various organizations. A study by the CREA estimated that the pollution from Eskom's coal station would cause approximately 79,500 deaths from 2025, even with a total shutdown of its coal fleet. A transition to emission standards would save an estimated 34,400 lives, though it would mean decommissioning 16,000MW of capacity, which would lead to substantial load-shedding.
While the challenge lies in striking a balance between economic stability and health preservation, the dire situation underscores the need for a sustainable renewable energy solution in South Africa.