JSE-listed petrochemicals giant, Sasol, on Thursday launched the new Sasol Gas Engine Power facility to relieve the firm’s burden on South Africa’s national power grid.

Sasol described the plant as Africa’s biggest power facility operating on “gas engines.”

This facility – to be finished in May next year – is also the first of its type in South Africa.

Sasol did not disclose the money it will spend on the plant.

Lifecycle power solutions firm, Wärtsilä, will deliver the facility on a “fast-track basis with performance guarantees.”

According to Gas To Power Journal, the plant is situated in the Northern Free State town of Sasolburg.

“At a demanding altitude of 1,500 metres, the plant will be powered by 18 Wärtsilä 34SG generating sets running on natural gas with an operating capacity of 140MW,” the Journal reported.

“The plant’s closed-loop cooling system imposes a minimal demand for water, which is an important factor in areas such as this where water resources are limited.”

Lean Strauss, Senior Group Executive at Sasol, described the facility as a critical landmark for the firm, which has operations in 38 countries globally.

“… it allows us (to) ease our load on the national grid and contribute to our own energy efficiency targets,” Strauss told the Journal.

The power generated by the facility will also be utilised by a chemical plant that is closer to Sasol’s gas engine.

It is understood that the national electricity grid will be served with half of the power generated from this engine.

Wärtsilä will run and take care of the facility under a 3-year contract, ensuring that it supplies output with extreme competence.

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