FACTBOX-South Africa power generation plans

Aug 5 (Reuters) - South Africa's largest union, the national Union of Mineworkers, said on Wednesday it planned strike action next week at power utility Eskom [ESCJ.UL] which could disrupt electricity supplies in Africa's biggest economy.

Below are details of Eskom's generating capacity.

CAPACITY AND SHORTFALL

* Eskom has a total operational capacity of nearly 40,000 megawatts (MW). It will add by more returning mothballed stations to service in 2009.

* It operates 11 coal-fired stations and Africa's only nuclear-powered plant along with other smaller stations.

* Eskom, established in 1923, generates 95 percent of South Africa's electricity and 45 percent of Africa's electricity.

* In January 2008, the utility said it was unable to supply power to the country's mines sparking a major energy crisis.

* Eskom plans to invest 343 billion rand ($43.41 billion) in new power plants over five years. It plans to spend 1.3 trillion rand by 2025 to double generating capacity to 80,000 MW.

* Eskom estimates with the new capacity coming onstream it can raise its reserve margin or spare capacity to 10 percent by 2015, still short of its safe 15 percent target.

PLANNED POWER STATIONS

* Eskom started construction on the 4,788 MW Medupi power station in 2007. The first of six units is due to be commissioned by 2012 and the plant will be operational by 2015.

* The 4,800 MW Kusile power station is due by 2016.

* The 1,352 MW Ingula hydro power station is due by 2013.

* The utility has invested in a wind farm with 50 wind turbines providing 2 MW of electricity each, due by mid-2010.

* The Ankerlig and Gourikwa open cycle gas turbine power stations will nearly double their capacity to 2,080 MW in 2009.

* The government plans to add 6,000 MW in new nuclear energy by 2025 with the first 3,200 MW plant due in 2019.

* Eskom has put on hold the 1,500 MW Tubatse hydro-power plant, citing a slowdown in energy demand growth.

* The mothballed Camden power station has been recommissioned and is now fully operational; the Grootvlei and Komati power plants will return to service by end-October, 2011.

CURRENT POWER STATIONS

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Coal-fired Total net maximum capacity

* Kendal 3,840 MW

* Majuba 3,843 MW

* Matimba 3,690 MW

* Lethabo 3,558 MW

* Tutuka 3,510 MW

* Matla 3,450 MW

* Duvha 3,450 MW

* Kriel 2,850 MW

* Arnot 2,040 MW

* Hendrina 1,895 MW

* Camden 1,250 MW

* Grootvlei 1,175 MW (Mothballed, being recommissioned)

* Komati 955 MW (Mothballed, being recommissioned)

Nuclear

* Koeberg 1,800 MW

Gas/liquid fuel turbine stations

* Acacia 171 MW

* Ankerlig 592 MW

* Gourikwa 444 MW

* Port Rex 171 MW

Hydroelectric stations

* Gariep 360 MW

* Vanderkloof 240 MW

Pumped storage schemes

* Drakensberg 1,000 MW

* Palmiet 400 MW

(Sources: Eskom 2008 annual report; January 2008 press conference and Reuters)

(Compiled by Marius Bosch and Agnieszka Flak, editing by Giles Elgood)