Eskom has cautioned that the national power system is tight and the utility had to resort to using its diesel turbines this morning to supplement capacity and prevent load shedding.
Eskom is working hard to reduce the number of unplanned outages across its fleet of power stations to a manageable level of 9 500 MW at which level load shedding becomes less of a likelihood.
The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Anton Bredell, says Eskom needs space on its grid to enable it to do the maintenance necessary to address the problems in its fleet.
“Unplanned outages – which are unpredictable – hit levels of 13 337 MW this morning, which is 3 837 MW higher than what is considered ideal. The lower these unplanned outages can get to, the better.”
Bredell has urged consumers to work with Eskom and reduce electricity demand as the country’s economy gets going again following the holiday season.
“If we all do our part to reduce electricity, we will lessen the demand on Eskom, thereby providing the space Eskom needs to fix the system. It is in our combined best interest to help Eskom and prevent load shedding as far as possible.”
Bredell has also called on the National government to act now to allow municipalities like the City of Cape Town to start buying electricity from independent power producers.
“The City of Cape Town has been requesting such permission repeatedly from the National Minister of Energy since 2015, but has had no luck and must still buy its electricity from Eskom. The city has now taken the matter to court. We want to ask the Minister of Energy to urgently reconsider the national government’s position, given the precarious nature of our electricity grid and to smooth the way for municipalities to procure additional electricity wherever they can.”
For more information and tips on what you can do to be better prepared for load shedding follow this link:
https://www.westerncape.gov.za/110green/
ENDS.
James-Brent Styan
Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell
Mobile: 084 583 1670
Telephone: 021 483 2820
E-mail: James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za