There will not be load-shedding this year, says Eskom

South African power utility Eskom, which is struggling from a financial crisis, said on Thursday that it would not resort to controlled power blackouts this year despite previous reports that it was facing coal shortages.

“There will not be load-shedding this year,” said Eskom’s acting Chief Executive Phakamani Hadebe, referring to forced interruptions to power supply.

Hadebe was speaking at a media briefing on the state of the system at Megawatt Park in Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, energy consultant Ted Blom said earlier this week that Eskom was in denial about the dire state of the coal stockpiles at its power stations. Blom said nine of Eskom’s 11 power stations in Mpumalanga were experiencing coal shortages.

“Eskom has tried to appease the public that coal is being transhipped from the balance of the stations – but that can only be from the remaining two stations. Also, the (open cycle gas turbines) have been running for a week. Eskom top management have been caught sleeping at the wheel again”

But Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe was adamant that seven – not nine – power stations were experiencing coal problems. Phasiwe said Eskom continued to divert coal to power stations that were running low. “Stock levels are starting to improve,” he said.

Source: IOL News