The Medupi Power Station is a new dry-cooled coal fired power station being built by Eskom near Lephalale in Limpopo province, South Africa. When completed, the power station will have six boilers each powering an 800 MW turbine, producing 4800 MW of power. This will be the largest dry-cooled coal fired power station in the world. Contracts have been placed with Hitachi to supply the boilers and Alstom to provide the Steam turbines for this plant. At R33.6 Billion, these are the biggest contracts ever placed by Eskom. Super-critical boilers will be used to improve the efficiency of the power plant.

Medupi will be supplied by coal from Exxaro’s Grootegeluk coal mine, located to the north of the site. Eskom has placed a contract with Exxaro to supply 14.6 MT coal per year for 40 years. The first 800 MW unit is expected to be commissioned in early 2012, with the next units following at 9 month intervals. The power station is currently expected to cost R100 Billion.

The building of the coal power station has attracted widespread criticism in South Africa. Critics have accused the ANC led government of pushing the project forward because the political party holds a 25% stake in the venture and stands to make a profit close to 1 Billion rand on the deal.. Backers of the project argue that the plant is needed to supply vital electricity to South Africa over the long term. Some point out that effective management of coal supplies was what was really needed, rather than yet another environmentally unfriendly coal station. The approval of the World Bank loan drew criticism as a massive blow to the environment and a debt burden that would cripple poverty-riddled South Africa.