A plant operator inside the Ankerlig power peaking station on the Cape West Coast.
Eskom has finally put out a request for proposal (RFP) to supply Gourikwa power plant in Mosselbay and Ankerlig power station in Atlantis with natural gas.
The two power stations run on diesel, but have been converted so they can also use natural gas. The utility hopes to switch from diesel to gas by December 2027.
“The intent is to have a gas main feedstock which will be supplemented by diesel as and when it’s required,” Eskom stated in tender document published this week.
It is hoping that gas will be a cheaper and more environmentally friendly source of fuel for the two stations than diesel.
Eskom is seeking “holistic” solutions from suppliers – meaning they will have to create the infrastructure to transport the gas to the two power plants and supply the gas itself.
They will also be responsible for storing the gas and converting it from liquified natural gas back to gas. The gas supply contracts will last for either five or 10 years.
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Eskom hasn’t yet said how it expects the gas to be transported to the two sites. The RFP is just the first stage of a two-step process the utility will use to choose a gas supplier.
It will use feedback from the RFP to help craft the technical specifications for the project. These will then be included in its request for quotation, which will likely be published later this year.
All bids for the RFP will need to be in by 31 July.
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