Heritage Cases

The coal-fired power generation process produces large quantities of ash, which is disposed of in ash dumps and dams. Eskom uses coal of a low grade which produces a larger mass of ash during combustion. The higher-grade coal in South Africa predominantly serves the export market. Eskom uses either wet or dry methods of ash disposal. Both utilise effluent water or wastewater, which is the end product of the cascading water re-use process. Wet ash disposal, utilized at the Arnot site, entails the hydraulic conveyance of ash, while dry ash disposal entails the conveyance of partially moistened ash on conveyer belts. The proposed facility will be a wet ashing facility. The aim of this proposed project is to provide Arnot Power Station with the additional capacity to dispose all of the ash it produces as part of its operation from 2026 until the end of station life in 2032. The project will deliver a wet ashing facility of up to 120ha in size with required liners and the required slurry system pipework and pumping systems and supporting infrastructure. This includes the building of: • Access roads for operations and maintenance; • Construction of the New Ash Disposal Facility including its lining; • Drainage channels for clean and dirty water; • Ash Water Return Dams; • Pipelines for transportation of wet ash and water to and from the ash disposal facility; • Pumping capacity; and • Sanitation services and offices. A proposed infrastructure layout map will be included in the EIA report once the conceptual design work is completed