Energy News South Africa

Eskom needs 4,000-6,000MW of additional energy to effectively carry out maintenance

Eskom will need additional energy of between 4,000-6,000MW in order to effectively carry out maintenance of its ailing power plants without having to resort to load shedding, public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday, 4 May.
Source: Mike Hutchings/Reuters
Source: Mike Hutchings/Reuters

Gordhan was responding to questions posed to ministers in the economic cluster at a plenary of the National Assembly.

“Clearly it is our priority as government, and certainly within my portfolio and more importantly of the board and of the management, to ensure that we prioritise stability within the energy system.

“But the reality, as has been repeated on many occasions, is that Eskom requires a space of about 4,000 to 6,000 megawatts of additional energy so that the necessary maintenance can be undertaken.

Maintenance neglected for many years

“It is also a well-established fact chairperson, and this is also in the report of the Zondo Commission, that there has been neglect on the maintenance side for many years, particularly during the state capture period, in order to ensure that 'the lights stay on’. That is the legacy that we have to now overcome,” he said.

As Eskom announced that Stage 2 load shedding would continue until Monday, Gordhan said there will be stability in the power grid in the next year or so.

Source: SAnews.gov.za

SAnews.gov.za is a South African government news service, published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). SAnews.gov.za (formerly BuaNews) was established to provide quick and easy access to articles and feature stories aimed at keeping the public informed about the implementation of government mandates.

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