Morupule Power Station

Morupule Power Station is a coal-fired power station near Palapye, Botswana. Run by the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), it comprises four 33 MW air-cooled units. It uses coal from the adjacent Morupule Colliery and provides about 80% of the country's domestic power generation.

Morupule Power Station
CountryBotswana
LocationPalapye
Coordinates22°31′12″S 27°02′12″E
StatusOperational
Construction beganMorupule A: 1982
Morupule B: 2010
Commission dateMorupule A: 1989
Morupule B: 2014
Owner(s)Botswana Power Corporation
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Power generation
Units operationalMorupule A: 4 × 33 MW
Morupule B: 4 x 150 MW
Nameplate capacityMorupule A: 132 MW
Morupule B: 600 MW

Morupule A

Owned by the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), Morupule Power Station comprises four 33 MW coal-fired units, with coal supplied from the adjacent Morupule Colliery. The station provided about 80% of the country's domestic power generation. Construction on the existing station started in 1982 and was completed in 1989.[1]

The government has sourced funds to renovate and restore Morupule A. Plans are to return Morupule A to its full 132 MW capacity with a life span of 20 years. In March 2016 Doosan secured the contract for the 132 MW plant from BPC. The first turbine will go into operation in 2017.[2]

Morupule B

BPC was considering an expansion of the Morupule Power Station since 2006. BPC eventually decided on 600 MW, consisting of four 150 MW units. According to BPC, the impetus for the project was the country's reliance on importing approximately 80% of its power from the South African utility, Eskom. The project was expected to be completed by October 2012, but by the end of 2013 only two units were in operation. BPC said the delay was due to mismanagement by the plant contractor China National Electric Engineering Corporation (CNEEC).

A forensic investigation into the matter has found that BPC key staff members are believed to have colluded with CNEEC to embezzle more than P 1 billion from the 10-billion Pula Morupule B power project.[3]

On 1 Jan 2014 STEAG took on maintenance and operation of Morupula B [4] after CNEEC was forced to leave. The other two units were completed in 2014.

But since its beginning, the plant has been beset with delays and machine failures, forcing the facility to run at about a third of its capacity.[5]

References
  1. BPC - Generation Archived 2013-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Doosan to revive coal-fired ‘ghost plant’ in Botswana
  3. "CNEEC, BPC staff fleece Morupule B of P 1 billion- report | Sunday Standard". www.sundaystandard.info. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
  4. "STEAG takes on operation and maintenance in Botswana in record time". pressearchiv.steag.com. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
  5. Botswana Sees Power Exports as Failed Coal-Plant Lessons Learned


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