Eskom allowed to sidestep pollution reduction rules at key plant

Eskom Holdings, the world’s biggest sulfur dioxide emitter, has been given permission to bypass pollution abatement equipment at one of its biggest coal-fired power plants in South Africa.

Eskom can operate three units at the Kusile power station without the flue-gas desulfurisation unit, which cuts sulfur dioxide emissions by as much as 99%, the company said in a statement Saturday. The temporary ruling by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment applies until the end of March 2025 as it conducts repairs at the plant.

Sulfur dioxide is linked to ailments including asthma and heart attacks. In 2021, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said Eskom is the world’s biggest emitter of the pollutant.

The postponement is subject to several conditions, including the implementation of measures to mitigate the impact of sulfur dioxide emissions on air quality.

© 2023 Bloomberg