Power utility Eskom is encouraging communities, environmental groups, industry representatives, government institutions and other interested and affected parties to review, and comment on, a draft cost-benefit analysis (CBA) report and related documents on flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) at the Medupi Power Station, in Limpopo.

Eskom had previously applied to then Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Deon George for an exemption from compliance with certain minimum emission standards (MES) limits for a period in 2025. In response, the Minister on March 31, 2025, issued a directive, requiring Eskom to complete and publish for stakeholder comment a revised and expanded plant-specific CBA for FGD at Medupi.

The assessment was undertaken by an independent service provider to support an open, evidence‑based process that will assist the Ministry in reviewing the matter.

Stakeholders have until March 26 to submit their comments.

After the comment period, Eskom will respond to comments and submit the final CBA report and a stakeholder response report to current Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Willie Aucamp for his consideration.

Eskom is also planning to hold an online public information meeting on March 10 to discuss the report.

In a February 24 letter to stakeholders, Eskom states that it has, over the past decade, invested in technologies to lower particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions and improve operational efficiency, achieving measurable improvements across its generation fleet.

It points out that its newest coal-fired power station, Kusile, is built with FGD technology to also reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

"While Eskom remains committed to complying with the MES, it faces challenges in meeting the required stack emission limits at eight of its coal-fired power stations due to the restrictive legal framework, the age of the plants and various technical constraints.

"The high cost of emission‑reduction technologies and the potential impact on electricity prices also present significant concerns. These considerations must be balanced with the need to maintain electricity reliability and affordability," it states.

In the non-technical summary of the CBA, Eskom points out that, for Medupi to comply with the MES, it would need FGD technology to remove sulphur dioxide prior to emitting to atmosphere. It also notes that there are alternative types of FGD, with wet FGD removing the greatest amount of sulphur dioxide, but being the most expensive, while dry FGD is less effective, but also less expensive.

"The implementation of FGD at Medupi will be expensive and the monies will be recovered through the electricity tariff. The FGD facility requires a large one-off capital cost and also large ongoing operating costs. Eskom prepared a BCA to compare the costs of FGD with the ‘saved’ (i.e. prevented) costs of adverse human health effects," the summary document states.

The document notes that about R383-billion would need to be invested in FGD over the lifetime of the Medpui power station, with those costs to be recovered through the electricity price.

Meanwhile, Eskom says it is also investigating other options, including an air quality offset programme; small modular nuclear reactors; long-duration energy storage; coal beneficiation; high efficiency low emissions coal technology; and carbon capture, utilisation and storage, for reducing emissions from its coal-fired power stations. These options were also assessed using the BCA methodology.