South Africa inaugurates coal fired power plant

(MENAFN- Arab News) Johannesburg: President Jacob Zuma inaugurated on Sunday the first unit of a massive new coal-fired power plant in South Africa hailing it as a step away from the country's energy woes.
The Medupi power station situated north of Johannesburg is to produce 4800 megawatts of electricity by 2019 when it is expected to be operating at full capacity.
South Africa has suffered through rolling blackouts known as load shedding as the state-owned utility Eskom has sought to ease pressure on its stable of aging and poorly-maintained power stations.
South Africa last new gas-fired power plant opened in 2013 while a new coal-burning plant has not come online since 1996.
"Today we open an important and exciting chapter in our country's energy history" Zuma said.
"Shortage of energy is a serious impediment to economic growth" he added.
Construction on Medupi began in 2007 and was supposed to be complete five years later. Yet delays have meant that the plant which South African authorities call the country's largest coal-fired station will be fully operational some seven years late.
The new plant's first unit began operating in March and its 749 megawatts of electricity should help ease the stress on the country's troubled electrical grid.