Is Jindal ready to be fired up?

Jindal Energy says its 700M coal fired power station will be commissioned in December 2026.

By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions        

Yesterday, on day 5 of the 2026 WhyAfrica RES Road Trip, we visited the Mmaphashalala community next to Jindal Energy Botswana’s new coal fired power station. We also got a good look at the project, which is making steady progress. Whether it will be up and running by December this year as claimed, remained to be seen.

The Jindal Mmamabula Energy Project (JMEP) is intended to reduce Botswana’s reliance on imported power. It will also provide solid baseload electricity for mining and other industries.

Environmental and community concerns

Although the people of Mmaphashalala expect the project to bring jobs, there is also concerns about environmental and social impacts associated with large coal mining and the operation of a coal fired power plant.

The Mmamabula is geologically an extension of South Africa’s Waterberg Coalfield, forming part of the Southern Belt Central Kalahari sub-basin.

Maatla’s own operation

While Jindal will operate its own coal mine to feed the power plant, Maatla Resources’ Mmamabula coal project, a stone throw from Jindal’s operation, is being developed primarily for export and regional markets.

Moropule a Botswana stalward

About 100km north-east of Jindal’s project, on the outskirts of Palapye, is the Morupule Coal Mine and power station. Moropule started producing coal in 1973. It is owned by the Minerals Development Company Botswana (MDCB).

The Morupule Power Station consists of Morupule A (132 MW) and Morupule B (600 MW), giving the complex an installed capacity of 732 MW. Morupule B was built specifically to reduce Botswana’s dependence on imported electricity and uses coal supplied from the nearby mine.

Back to Jindal

There is some confusion over Jindal’s capacity though. The project has been revised on several occasions. Jindal’s current description is 700 MW net, with the first 350 MW phase supplying Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) and a further 350 MW intended for regional power markets. Earlier project documentation described the initial plant as 300 MW, with an additional 300 MW planned.

Tomorrow WhyAfrica will visit NexMetals’ Selebi Phikwe project where to have a look at the revival of this historic operation.

Is Jindal ready to be fired up?