For decades, the Komati Power Station symbolized South Africa’s coal-powered electricity system. Today, it is becoming something very different: a blueprint for how aging coal infrastructure can be transformed into a renewable energy hub.
Rather than demolishing the site after its coal units were retired, Eskom is repurposing Komati into a combination of battery storage, solar generation and grid-support infrastructure. The project has become one of Africa’s most closely watched “just transition” pilots, showing how existing power assets can be adapted for the clean energy era.
Komati’s redevelopment is centered on replacing coal-fired generation with a portfolio of renewable technologies.
The project is planned to include:
- 150 MW / 600 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
- 150 MW of solar PV
- Around 70 MW of wind generation (with revised plans compared to earlier proposals)
Instead of relying on a single technology, Komati combines generation with storage—reflecting the industry’s shift toward renewable energy that can be dispatched when needed rather than only when the weather cooperates.
Phase One: Batteries and Solar First
The first phase focuses on building the battery system alongside the initial solar installation. The battery component is one of the largest planned installations in South Africa.
Key milestones include:
- Procurement completed after the bid window closed in December 2024
- Construction mobilization targeted for late 2025
- Approximately 18 months of construction
- Followed by roughly 18 months of initial operations and maintenance
The battery will allow renewable electricity generated during the day to be stored and discharged later, helping stabilize the grid during evening demand peaks.
Solar Development
The first tranche of solar forms part of the broader 150 MW programme.
The schedule includes:
- Tender process completed in early 2025
- Construction expected to begin toward the end of 2025
- Around 18 months required for construction
Using existing transmission infrastructure already connected to the former coal station significantly reduces the need for entirely new grid connections.
What Happened to the Wind Project?
Earlier redevelopment plans included a larger wind component during Phase One. However, later project revisions reduced or postponed portions of the wind development because of siting and environmental considerations. Rather than delaying the overall redevelopment, the project has shifted its emphasis toward batteries and solar, with additional renewable infrastructure expected in later phases.
Phase Two: Repurposing More of Komati
The second phase extends beyond simply adding more renewable generation.
Future plans include:
- Additional solar capacity
- Further renewable infrastructure
- Grid-support equipment such as synchronous condensers
- Repurposing former coal facilities and ash disposal areas
Unlike Phase One, Phase Two does not yet have a fixed public construction schedule because it depends on the completion of earlier works.
Komati is important because it demonstrates a different way of thinking about the energy transition.
Instead of abandoning coal infrastructure entirely, the project reuses:
- Existing transmission connections
- Skilled local workforce
- Industrial land
- Established grid access
This approach can significantly reduce both development costs and construction timelines compared with building entirely new renewable sites. Many countries face the same challenge confronting South Africa: coal plants are retiring while electricity demand continues to grow. Komati offers a practical answer.
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Rather than replacing one coal station with one renewable project, it replaces it with an integrated energy system combining solar generation, battery storage and modern grid infrastructure. The result is not simply cleaner electricity—it is a more flexible power system designed for a future where storage is just as valuable as generation.
If construction proceeds according to schedule, Komati’s first battery and solar facilities could begin commissioning around mid-2027. More importantly, the project signals a broader shift in energy planning. The future of electricity is no longer about building more generation alone. It is about building generation, storage and grid flexibility together. Komati is becoming one of the first large-scale demonstrations of that future in Africa.
