Kusile Unit 6 Enters Commercial Operation

Eskom has announced that Unit 6 at the Kusile Power Station has officially entered commercial operation, completing the power utility’s build programme.

Spokesperson Daphne Mokoena confirmed on Monday that the milestone forms part of Eskom’s generation recovery plan and also marks the end of construction at South Africa’s two supercritical coal-fired stations, Medupi and Kusile.

“Commercial operation indicates that the unit has passed all testing and optimisation phases and is now fully integrated into Eskom’s fleet. Although it has been supplying electricity since its synchronisation on 23 March 2025, the contribution was not previously reflected in official reporting,” Mokoena explained.

She added that Unit 6’s output will now be included in Eskom’s Energy Availability Factor, boosting overall performance metrics. The unit contributes 800MW to the grid, completing Eskom’s twelve-unit mega-project.

“This achievement is a significant step towards our strategic goal of adding 2 500MW of new capacity by March. We extend our gratitude to employees and contractors whose perseverance made this possible,” said Eskom Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo.

Eskom Chief Executive Dan Marokane added that both Medupi and Kusile will remain central to the country’s power supply for decades. “These stations are designed to operate for around 50 years. As we celebrate this milestone, we are also accelerating renewable energy projects to complement our baseload infrastructure and reduce emissions.”