How LONG can Eskom’s load-shedding stay in abatement for?

It’s looking good for Eskom’s load-shedding at the moment. However, 2024 will prove to be another tough year for the government-run power utility. In December 2023, Eskom’s load-shedding was in abatement for 18 days, a record it celebrated with glee.

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Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), clarifying the roles of Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, and Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, in the fight against load-shedding.

ESKOM’S LOAD-SHEDDING IN 2024

Apparently, an MoU was necessary to resolve confusion over which Minister was responsible for bringing Eskom’s load-shedding to heel. Gordhan was the main point of contact between the government and the Eskom board. However, Ramokgopa is mandated to do whatever he must to resolve Eskom’s load-shedding.

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With the MoU in place, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “While significant progress has been made in reducing the severity of load shedding, much work still needs to be done to guarantee a secure supply of electricity. And the collaborative approach of the MoU will further strengthen Eskom’s efforts,” according to a Business Tech report.

KUSILE UNIT 5 ONLINE

Another major occurrence in the battle to end Eskom’s load-shedding is Kusile Unit 5 being synchronised to the country’s grid for the first time on 31 December 2023. Eskom announced that the unit would contribute an additional 800 MW to the country’s grid capacity. Kusile Unit 5 is the first substantial new capacity added to the grid since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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However, many are still calling Kusile a massive failure in South Africa’s fight against load-shedding. In a report by Daily Investor, energy expert Chris Yelland said Kusile was single-handedly responsible for untold stages of load-shedding over the years, at a massive cost to the country.

R230 BILLION LATER

According to the energy expert, Kusile Unit 5’s synchronisation comes after R233 billion and 15 years of investment into the project. The mega coal-fired power station began construction back in 2008. Six 800 MW coal-fired generating units were to deliver a combined 4 800 megawatts of power.

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The initial expectation was that Kusile would take six years to build at a cost of R81 billion. That was before widespread corruption, mismanagement, worker unrest and strikes caused significant time and cost overruns, bankrupting Eskom in the process. When you factor in the sheer volume of load-shedding an inactive Kusile was responsible for, you realise the true cost to the country and its economy is far higher than R233 billion.

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Do you think Eskom’s load-shedding is going to last beyond 2024? Do you think Kusile Unit 5 will stand up to the task? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.

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