Medupi Unit 4 generator failure

Monday, 09 August 2021: Eskom wishes to inform the public that Unit 4 of Medupi Power Station experienced an explosion on the Unit 4 generator at approximately 22h50 on 08 August. The incident is suspected to have resulted in Unit 5 tripping.

No injuries have been reported and all employees and contractors have been accounted for. Emergency services attended to seven colleagues requiring treatment for shock. Eskom will continue to provide support to the employees who might have been affected by the incident through its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

Unit 4 was on a short-term outage (since 06 August) when the incident occurred, and all work on the unit was suspended with immediate effect. This included the suspension of all permits to work on the plant until further notice. The area was secured and once it has been cleared by the Fire Chief and resident engineers; inspections and assessments will begin to determine the cause of the incident and extent of the damage caused.

Preparation for the return to service of Medupi Unit 5 is currently in progress.

Investigations are underway into the cause of the incident and Eskom will update the public on developments, as well as to what extent will this unfortunate incident impact the national electricity grid.

Statement issued by Eskom, 9 August 2021