Eskom Unveils Largest Battery Energy Storage System in Africa

In a groundbreaking move to address South Africa’s persistent electricity crisis, Eskom, the nation’s leading power utility, has inaugurated the Hex Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Worcester, Western Cape. This venture marks the largest of its kind not only in South Africa but across the entire African continent.

The Hex BESS, unveiled officially yesterday, is the inaugural project completed under Eskom’s flagship BESS initiative, announced in July 2022. This ambitious project aims to alleviate strain on the national electricity grid by enhancing storage capacity and diversifying the energy mix. Comprising large-scale utility batteries with a daily total capacity of 1,440MWh and a 60MW PV capacity, the Hex BESS is designed to meet the urgent needs of South Africa’s energy landscape.

The Hex site, a crucial component of Phase 1 of Eskom’s BESS project, is tailored to store 100MWh of energy — sufficient to power towns such as Mossel Bay or Howick for approximately five hours. This phase encompasses the installation of around 833MWh of additional storage capacity at eight Eskom Distribution substation sites spread across KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Northern Cape. Additionally, 2MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is included in this phase.

Monde Bala, Eskom’s Group Executive for Distribution, expressed gratitude to project funders and construction partner Hyosung Heavy Industries, emphasizing the collaborative effort’s success. Bala underscored the significance of the BESS project as a vital step towards a more resilient and sustainable energy future.

Velaphi Ntuli, Eskom’s General Manager for Distribution, Operations Enablement, stated, “We are pioneering the implementation of the BESS technology, serving as a large-scale commercial project to validate the technology’s feasibility and benefits.” Ntuli expressed optimism that the project’s success would pave the way for broader adoption and potential technology export beyond South Africa’s borders.

Eskom’s Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, applauded the Hex project as a testament to Eskom teams’ ability to find alternative and lasting solutions to the country’s electricity challenges.

The Hex project has not only advanced technological frontiers but has also brought tangible benefits to the local community of Worcester. Approximately 250 local community members were employed, and twelve early childhood centers were supported with playgrounds and educational materials. Eskom also donated computers and five hundred full school uniforms, with additional corporate social investment projects slated for execution by March 2024.

Upon the completion of Phase 1, Eskom plans to embark on Phase 2, incorporating the installation of an additional 144MW of storage capacity at four Eskom Distribution sites and one Transmission site. This phase will also introduce 58MW of solar PV capacity.

Eskom’s strategic deployment of these technologies, coupled with the disciplined execution of the Generation Recovery Plan initiated in March 2023, aims to achieve an energy availability factor of 70% by March 2025. This multifaceted approach positions the country to overcome capacity constraints and meet the critical need for additional megawatts.