There is a push to complete the construction of the Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) in Richards Bay, a planned gas-fired power plant that will include open-cycle and combined-cycle gas turbines.

The plant, located in the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), will have a maximum capacity of 3 000 MW.

The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, accompanied by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Nomusa Dube-Ncube, the KZN MEC of Economic Development, Siboniso Duma, and Eskom executives visited the site on May 3 to assess the progress of the CCPP.  

While at the site, Minister Ramokgopa told the media that the construction and completion timelines were conservative and that he would like to see these timelines accelerated.

Construction of the plant is expected to take three to four years and is earmarked for completion by 2028. However, the Minister asked the team to revisit these timelines. To address potential delays, a joint technical task team comprising experts from various sectors has been formed to troubleshoot and streamline the construction process.

The CCPP is touted as the first of its kind in South Africa. The project has been at pre-construction stage since 2019. Opposition from environmental groups has contributed to delays in plant construction.

“This project is a significant step towards addressing South Africa’s electricity challenges by offering a reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable energy solution. It will help diversity the country’s energy mix,” said Ramokgopa. “The country is going to see immense benefit from this gas-to-power plant. The future is secured from an energy perspective. We are grappling with load shedding. Richards Bay holds the key,” Ramokgopa said.