DA Shadow Minister of Electricity shares ‘wiser’ ideas to end load shedding

While Eskom is working around the clock to try and catch up on long overdue maintenance on its system to address the maintenance backlog, DA Shadow Minister of Electricity Samantha Graham-Mare has shared her own ideas for putting an end to load shedding.

DA SHADOW MINISTER OF ELECTRICITY WANTS COUNTRY TO GO GREEN

To prevent unplanned breakdowns which cause the unpalatable load shedding, Samantha believes green energy is the solution to the country’s energy crisis.

“Many of our coal-fired power stations are nearing the end of their lives and it is clear that, rather than look at mechanisms for the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, Dr Ramokgopa is doubling down with Minister Gwede Mantashe on the idea of extensions of life for coal powered stations,” she justified.

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REASONS FOR SMARTER THAN QUICK LOAD SHEDDING FIX

She said this myopic approach might appear to be a quick and easy solution to the crisis, but it overlooks several critical issues:

• Firstly, South Africa has access to $8.5 billion grant and concessional funding available from Europe and the USA to assist with a just transition to clean energy. This includes mechanisms for converting old power stations into green energy hubs. South Africa has undertaken to follow this process with President Cyril Ramaphosa fully behind the process; and
• Secondly, extending the life of coal-fired power stations will require massive financial commitment in order to ensure that they are functioning at an optimal level. There is no money in government for this and nor will South Africa be able to loan money for this as it is in contravention of the international trend towards clean energy.

“What Dr Ramokgopa and Minister Mantashe, in their stubborn adherence to the idea that a just energy transition will cost jobs in the coal supply chain, are missing is that if we do not, as a country, begin the move towards renewable energy as a major priority, the imposition of carbon tax on all South African exports is going to have a devastating effect on our agriculture and manufacturing,” the DA Shadow Minister of Electricity revealed.

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WESTERN CAPE AHEAD WITH GREEN ENERGY

She further said the Democratic Alliance is demonstrating that the positive impact that a rapid roll-out of renewable energy as part of the current energy mix is one of the quickest, but also one of the long-term solutions to creating a stable energy system in South Africa.

“The Western Cape model should be adopted in every province and as part of the process for just energy transition in South Africa.”

Samantha

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“I reiterate my call for Dr Ramokgopa to accompany me on a tour of the Western Cape energy projects in order for him to understand that green energy can be developed while dirty energy is phased out without devastating the economy or negatively affecting energy provision,” Samantha concluded.

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