Eskom shares plans for winter
Maintenance plans and tariff increase discussed during Eskom’s press conference.
Eskom’s acting CEO Brian Molefe has announced during a media briefing that the company plans to increase maintenance work this winter and limit load shedding especially during business hours.
Molefe also defended Eskom’s application for a further tariff hike, stating it was needed to keep the lights on.
“The latest tariff hike request is based on a number of factors, one of them being an available budget to keep buying diesel,” he said.
Eskom uses diesel generators when the power system is constrained in order to keep the lights on and avoid load shedding.
“Purchasing diesel is cheaper than implementing load shedding, which has a major impact on the economy,” he added.
Eskom has applied for an additional 13.3 per cent tariff increase, above a 12 per cent price increase which has already been approved.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has indicated that even if this is approved, it will only be implemented in the next financial year.
“The power system is expected to remain constrained for at least the next two years.
“Balancing supply and demand during this period will be particularly difficult,” Molefe said.
Molefe urged all electricity users to continue using electricity sparingly in order to allow Eskom enough space to continue with the requisite maintenance.
Read the full statement here.
