KEY POINTS
- Eskom’s project replaces coal stoves with electric and gas stoves.
- The program has upgraded 91% of homes, aiming for 36,000 by 2028.
- Indoor air pollution dropped by up to 50% after the project’s interventions.
ESKOM’s household emissions project in the Ezamokuhle community of Amersfoort, Mpumalanga, is showing positive results as participants transition from wood-burning to electricity, alongside home upgrades.
The Masibambisane Air Quality Offset (AQO) project, part of Eskom’s broader effort to reduce particulate matter emissions near its coal-fired power stations, is improving indoor air quality and enhancing the quality of life for low-income households.
Eskom reported that the project had upgraded 91% of the targeted homes in Ezamokuhle, near the Majuba power station. The initiative includes swapping coal stoves for electric and gas hybrid stoves, installing LPG heaters, and providing insulation retrofits to improve indoor thermal comfort. Homes with asbestos roofs have also had those roofs replaced.
“The program allows qualifying households to swap old coal stoves for new electric and gas hybrid stoves, and receive a gas heater along with two filled 9-kg gas cylinders,” Eskom said. “In addition, houses are draft-proofed and equipped with fire-retardant insulated ceilings, with electrical compliance certificates issued afterwards.”
3,201 households in Ezamokuhle and nearby settlements have benefited from the program. In Kwazamokuhle, near the Hendrina power station, 1,918 homes have been upgraded. Eskom plans to expand the program to 36,000 households in Mpumalanga by 2028.
Indoor air quality improvements
Eskom has monitored the reduction of particulate matter inside homes. Independent service providers conducted six-week air quality assessments in winter at 37 homes in Kwazamokuhle and 26 homes in Ezamokuhle, measuring air quality before and after interventions like ceiling retrofits and stove replacements.
“The monitoring shows a substantial decrease in particulate matter levels inside homes post-intervention, with reductions up to 50%, depending on initial house conditions,” Eskom explained.
To track long-term air quality trends, Eskom has established an ambient air quality monitoring network of 19 stations, including temporary stations set up in participating settlements.
Community engagement and benefits
The AQO project also involves the local community through stakeholder meetings and awareness programs. Eskom engaged local schools, and the project employed 139 local workers. Additionally, smart meters were installed in homes taking part in the program.
Eskom emphasized the importance of reducing household coal burning to minimise indoor and outdoor air pollution. The program is expected to have a direct positive impact on the health and well-being of community members by lowering their exposure to harmful emissions.
