Water history: The day the Vaal flowed backwards

Abstract

Water History The Water Wheel July/August 201440 South Africa’s first large-scale water transfer schemes were undertaken almost exclusively to meet the growing need for electricity. Eskom saw its power stations double in capacity between 1954 and 1955. New power stations had to be constructed to meet the country’s insatiable hunger for electricity and Eskom initially focused on the Eastern Transvaal (Mpumalanga) because of its rich coal reserves. However, electricity generation requires water in addition to coal, and so Eskom also started consulting with the Department of Water Affairs (DW A) to gain access to the necessary water supplies. The Komati and Usutu-Vaal schemes were designed in such a way that most of the power stations could receive water from alternative sources during emergency situations. For example, the Matla and Kriel power stations can receive water from either the Usutu pipeline or the Usutu-Vaal water lead. The system’s inherent flexibility proved its worth in the early 1980s.

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