( including pumped storage ). There is an installed pure hydro capacity of 660MW . Eskom owns four large hydro plants , the two most significant being Gariep ( 360MW ) and Vanderkloof ( 240MW ). Hydro produces , on average , 3 000GWh per year ,” says the report .
Two other large hydro schemes are also currently in the pipeline , with the first being Eskom ’ s Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme , which is expected to be commercially operational in mid-2017 . This scheme is expected to add 1 332MW to the national power grid , but is about four years overdue and about R27-billion over budget , said to cost a total of R35- billion .
Project delayed
The second is the R25-billion binational Lesotho Highlands Water Project , which is currently in its second phase of development . However , completion
“ Instead of dams being constructed … existing reservoirs that are used for other purposes can be fitted with hydropower plants in order to augment electricity supply towards meeting peak electricity demands .” municipalities infrastructure industry
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