In South Africa, the railway which is to connect the Majuba coal-fired plant to a coal mine will be completed in 2017. Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power supply company, made the announcement. The 68km-long corridor will be the first major rail freight project, launched in country since 1986, according to Eskom.

Construction of the Majuba coal-fired plant started in 1983 and ended in 2001. Operated by Eskom, it has a capacity of 4110 MW generated by three 665 MW units and three 716 MW units. Before the completion of the railway which is to connect the plant to a mine, it is supplied by other sources.

Close to 90% of the energy that South Africa produces comes from coal-fired plants.

Gwladys Johnson