Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa recently confirmed that the country is generating sufficient power, a sentiment echoed during a media briefing in Pretoria on August 11. However, experts warn that despite the progress, load shedding may not be a thing of the past.
The improved power generation capacity marks a significant turnaround for Eskom, with Professor Sampson Mamphweli from the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) noting that the energy availability factor (EAF) of Eskom's coal fleet has risen above 70% in some instances, from below 50% in previous years.
“The performance has improved drastically ... we have seen the Improvement of the energy availability factor to above 60% and in most cases, it’s now even hovering above 70%,” said Mamphweli in an interview with the SABC.
Eskom's Senior Manager in the Generation Office, Eric Shunmagum, detailed the recovery plan initiated in March 2023, which aimed to claw back 6,000 megawatts in generation performance.
This plan, he stated, is yielding results, with the average EAF over the past three weeks standing at 67%. Shunmagum attributed this success to a structured program addressing both plant defects and management issues, alongside improved morale among Eskom staff.
Despite these achievements, Ramokgopa cautioned that load shedding is not entirely behind us. He indicated that Eskom would release its summer outlook in the coming weeks, hinting at potential challenges ahead.
The issue of load reduction, however, remains a critical concern, particularly in municipalities with outdated infrastructure and illegal power connections.
According to Mamphweli, load reduction primarily occurs due to localised system overloads, exacerbated by illegal connections and the presence of backyard dwellers.
"Load reduction happens because of a localised system overload ... these are mainly at municipality level," he explained.
Efforts to address load reduction are ongoing, with national government officials, including the Minister of Electricity and his deputy, exploring ways to collaborate with Eskom and local municipalities to mitigate these issues.
Mamphweli acknowledged that this will require time to implement effective solutions, particularly in municipalities struggling with infrastructure maintenance.
As South Africa’s power generation stabilises, the focus must now shift to addressing the inequalities in power distribution that continue to leave many households in the dark.
IOL