Athlone Power Station
Athlone Power Station was a coal-fired power station in Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa. The site stopped generating power in 2003 and was decommissioned. However, in 2021 plans were announced to re-use the site.
| Athlone Power Station | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the Power Station, after the demolition of the cooling towers. | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Location | Kewtown, Athlone, Cape Town |
| Coordinates | 33°56′56″S 18°30′49″E |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| Commission date | 1962 |
| Decommission date | 2003 |
| Owner(s) | City of Cape Town |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Coal |
| Turbine technology | Steam turbine |
| Cooling source | Reclaimed sewage |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 0 of 6 |
| Nameplate capacity | 180 MW |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
Athlone Power Station was situated on the N2 freeway into the city, consisted of a large brick generation building, two 99m brick chimneys, and two cooling towers, fed by reclaimed water from a nearby sewage plant. It was commissioned in 1962 with 6 turbines with a nominal capacity of 180 megawatts, and operated by the City of Cape Town. Between 1985 and 1994 the station was held on standby, but it resumed generating in 1995 with a reduced capacity of 120 MW. Between 1995 and 2003 it was used to generate power during peak demand periods or power failures of the national grid. By 2003, significant investment was required due to the age of the power station, so generation ended.