Operation Vulindlela to increase grid’s capacity by 9200 megawatts to address load shedding: De Ruyter

Eskom’s outgoing CEO, André de Ruyter, says over 9 000 megawatts worth of power projects are in the pipeline to help decrease the future implementation of rolling blackouts.

Eskom is currently implementing Stages 3 and 4 rolling power cuts. The power utility intends on adding over 1 800 megawatts of power to the grid by the end of March – which is the equivalent of two stages of rolling blackouts.

De Ruyter is appearing before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts, alongside Eskom’s board and senior management on Tuesday.

“We are informed by Operation Vulindlela that there is now a total of 9 200 megawatts worth of projects in the pipeline that will enable us to address load shedding. Unfortunately, these megawatts do not become available immediately, they take time, and projects need to be executed but there is an extraordinary amount of activity by investors to respond to this new regulatory dispensation. So that is very pleasing and will afford us relief.”

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts is meeting with the Eskom Board and executives on Tuesday to discuss the National Assembly’s recommendations and reports. The recommendations are the result of SCOPA’s oversight visits to Eskom in 2019 and 2022.

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AfriForum outlines its energy plan

Meanwhile, the Afrikaaner civil rights group, AfriForum plans to enter the energy space through its AfriEnergy plan. It says this help alleviate the country’s current energy crisis. It announced the first leg of its 3-phase plan during a media briefing in Pretoria. The plan includes assisting South Africans to access quality alternative sources of energy and help move poor households off-grid.

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Source: SABC News (sabcnews.com)