Rudi Dicks: No final plan on how Eskom will mitigate load shedding this winter
The head of project management in the presidency Rudi Dicks said Eskom has not finalized plans on how it aims to mitigate load shedding during the winter season.
Eskom has estimated that demand for electricity is set to peak at least 34 000 megawatts over the next couple of months.
With the utility having already lost 18 000 megawatts due to unforced unplanned outages, pressure is mounting for it to announce a winter load-shedding plan.
Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Friday afternoon Dicks said a plan has been drawn up and is going through approval stages before being presented to the public.
Meanwhile, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramogkopa said Eskom has an R30 billion diesel fund to use for open gas cycle turbines in cases of emergencies.
“Eskom has got a R30 billion if you like war chest to ensure that they are able to procure diesel, to the extent that that’s not sufficient I think myself and the leadership of Eskom will make advances to the necessary authorities in government to make a case to the extent that would be necessary.”
Dicks said powerships are definitely in the government’s plan to ease the effects of load shedding.
Powerships are usually repurposed floating ships fitted with plants that use gas to generate electricity.
Recently, Turkish gas company, Karpowership had its 1 200-megawatt project on Saldanha Bay stalled by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment, following pressure from environmental activists.
However, Dicks said the government is exploring all energy-generating options to add capacity to the national grid.
“So of course powerships, I am not going to make reference to Karpowership as the specific company, but powerships would obviously probably be part of that particular set of mix and Eskom has made that very clear including battery storage, including other forms of technology again this would have to be an important area that Eskom would have to consider on a case by case basis.”
-EWN
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