China donates generators
China donates 450 generators to address SA power crisis. Images- South African Government/Canva

Home » Power supply: ‘Short-term pain for long-term gain’ says electricity minister

Power supply: ‘Short-term pain for long-term gain’ says electricity minister

Ramokgopa says that the planned maintenance roll-out would lead to intensified load shedding in the short term, but is essential for the long-term stability of the nation’s electricity grid.

07-09-23 11:27
China donates generators
China donates 450 generators to address SA power crisis. Images- South African Government/Canva

In a recent statement, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa recognised the tough road ahead for South Africa’s power supply.

He stressed that although planned maintenance would cause more frequent power outages in the near future, it was crucial for the long-term reliability of the country’s electrical system.

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Amidst ongoing Stage 6 power cuts expected to continue all week, the minister firmly stated that there were no quick solutions to halt load shedding, according to Daily Maverick.

He made this statement while briefing the media following Eskom’s escalation of power cuts due to recent pressure on the national grid.

ALSO READ: DA: ‘stage 6 costs South Africa’s economy R900 million a day’

POWER SUPPLY:”SHORT-TERM PAIN FOR LONG-TERM GAIN”

Ramokgopa explained that Eskom had embarked on an increased schedule of planned maintenance to enhance the grid’s resilience.

With an increase in planned maintenance over the coming months, intense load shedding will be a ‘short-term pain’ but there will be ‘long-term gain’, says Ramokgopa.

ALSO READ: ESKOM’s Stage 6 load shedding to turn lights off during Springboks Rugby World Cup opener!

During the winter, demand for electri had surged, leading to a decrease in planned maintenance and subsequently weakening generating capacity.

NEGLECT LED TO THE CURRENT ENERGY CRISIS

He admitted that neglecting planned maintenance over the years had contributed to this situation.

He declared, “We are committed to planned maintenance and adhering to maintenance philosophy, even if it means temporary, intensified load shedding. We cannot ignore the consequences of compromised maintenance investment.”

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Ramokgopa signaled that Eskom’s financial situation suffered greatly, but an injection of funds from the National Treasury offered financial maneuverability. This extra funding enabled Eskom to allocate significant resources toward maintenance efforts.

Eskom’s head of generation, Bheki Nxumalo, cautioned that Stage 6 load shedding was likely to persist for the week but would gradually ease as some units returned to service toward the weekend.

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