Question NW679 to the Minister of Public Enterprises

Reply:

According to the Information received from Eskom.

(1)

The quality of coal exported by South Africa is completely different to that utilised by Lethabo Power Station. Lethabo Power Station was designed to run on approximately 16 CV coal (low-grade coal) while the coal quality typically exported ranges from 22 CV to 27 CV (higher-grade coal). The adjacent tied cost-plus mine has enough coal to supply the burn requirements for the power station.

From around 15 February 2023, the coal supply from New Vaal Colliery (NVC) to Lethabo Power Station began to reduce significantly because of several unexpected challenges.

• Mine production had decreased because of the following:
  • Rain – the mine recorded 186,5 mm of rain from 1 February to 14 February 2023.
  • The flooding of the Vaal River and the subsequent increase in the river level affected the safety risks on one of the mining faces close to the river. The coal seams being mined were below the increased river level. This created a scenario where it could have been potentially catastrophic if the risk of flooding materialised. The mine had to manage this risk responsibly.

The second mining face was inaccessible because the ramps used by the haul trucks to access the mining pits were flooded. Additional time was also required to construct new ramps to access this coal.

• • This meant all coal required by the station had to be reclaimed from the coal stockyard. During the rainy season, the mine and power station keep live stockpiles at around 10 days of station burn requirements as a mitigation against continual rain. The opening balance of live coal on the strategic stockpiles was approximately nine days (total stock days were more than 30 days). Because of the continuous rain during February, this nine day of stock was steadily being depleted. To replenish this, coal needed to be reclaimed from the strategic stockpiles and moved to the stockpiles, which are 150 m to 200 m away. The continuous rain resulted in the stockpiles getting extremely wet with the mine loading wet coal on the conveyor belts, which was blocking the chutes and transfer points of the conveyor belts (coal becoming sludge), which resulted in the coal belts being stopped continuously to clean the chutes and transfer points that were getting blocked. This resulted in the throughput to the power station significantly decreasing.
  • A continuous breakdown of one section of the two overland conveyors also severely affected the mine’s ability to supply coal. The repairs to the conveyors were also delayed at times because of the impact of lightning, which became a safety risk.

• With regard to rain preparedness, the biggest mitigating factor is the coal stock and strategic stockpiles that store dry coal, which is then used to feed the conveyors when the mine is not producing coal. There is also a Generation Engineering initiative involving a multidisciplinary team that conducts site assessments and recommendations to manage stockyard reclamation during rainy periods. The quantum of rain received, however, coupled with the other challenges, posed significant challenges to the mine to maintain the coal supply to the power station in February. The mine is now assessing the challenges experienced and the lessons learnt to improve the management of the stockpiles for future periods. (This particular stockyard is managed by the mine and not Eskom). These include reviewing the layout of the strategic stockpiles, reinforcing the haul roads within the mine to be able to move coal during inclement weather.

(2)

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is best placed to respond due to the fact that it is a coal regulator department.

 

Remarks: Reply: Approved / Not Approved

Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date: