Power broking

South African power utility Eskom is forging ahead with plans to set up a pumped storage power station in the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, in Groblersdal, Limpopo.

This follows the signing of a US$125 million grant deal with French Development Agency AFD to fund a feasibility study of the Tubatse pumped storage scheme and prepare a business case for the project, reports Engineering News.

Eskom will be seeking a private-sector partner in the scheme, which is projected to come online by 2033.

The 1.5 GW project is expected to comprise four 375 MW units, with a total storage capacity of 21 GWh.

Pumped storage schemes work by storing water in a dam at a higher elevation, then releasing it to run through turbines at a lower level, thereby generating electricity. An example is Cape Town’s 180 MW Steenbras power station, which has been in operation since 1979.