Eskom moves to cut electricity costs after years of load shedding
Power utility Eskom has announced that it is now looking to reduce the cost of electricity while maintaining a reliable supply
Image: File
Power utility Eskom has announced that it is now looking to reduce the cost of electricity while maintaining a reliable supply as the system stabilises despite challenges from ageing power stations.
IOL previously reported that Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has conceded that rising electricity prices are placing a heavy burden on households and businesses across the country. Ramokgopa also said that the government was taking a range of measures to address rising electricity costs and energy poverty.
"The Department of Electricity and Energy acknowledges that the rising cost of electricity presents a serious challenge to households, businesses, and the broader economy," he said earlier this month.
Eskom Senior Manager Eric Shunmugam said that after years of severe breakdowns and widespread load shedding, the utility has made major strides in stabilising the power system.
He added that while the system is now stable, Eskom’s focus is on addressing costs to produce electricity more cheaply, while continuing to ensure a reliable supply from ageing power stations with older technology.
"A winter two years ago, we were sitting with breakdowns to the tune of about 18 gigawatts. And as I speak to you today, we're trending sort of around 9,000 megawatts. So we've recovered close to about 7,500 megawatts," Shunmugam told broadcaster eNCA.
"That's close to seven stages of load shedding. The system, which is now stable, I mean, happy to report 325 days of no load shedding. Our focus right now is actually addressing the cost to ensure that we can actually give, you know, produce the electricity at a cheaper cost."
Shunmugam also said that these efforts are part of a longer-term plan to modernise infrastructure, improve efficiency, and prevent future disruptions.
"We are trying to be very responsible to ensure reliability of supply, quality of supply, against the backdrop of some of the very old stations that we have with old technologies. And we have plans in place to actually address these MES issues."
mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za
IOL Business