Energy expert: Politicians should stop stoking power grid panic
Energy analyst Chris Yelland has urged the country’s politicians to refrain from stoking panic with predictions on the imminent collapse of the power grid.
This follows remarks by EFF leader Julius Malema during a media briefing on Monday, where he warned that South Africa could experience a total grid collapse within the next fortnight.
"In the next two weeks, we have been warned there is going to be darkness,” Malema warned.
“We are almost at a point of grid collapse. It's a reality that South Africans must know, that we are heading to darkness and ANC politicians are continuing business as usual as if we are not in a crisis. We are in a deep, deep crisis.”
Both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa have warned that a tough, dark winter lies ahead as Eskom struggles to keep the lights on.
But Yellend said fearmongering is no help to anyone.
“The probability of a national blackout remains low, although the consequences of a national blackout are high. To suggest that we are on the verge of a national blackout as we speak is simply wrong and politicians should refrain from this kind of alarmist behaviour,” said Yelland.
Yelland said the embattled power utility does less maintenance on its generating units in winter.
“During the winter we can expect Eskom to continue continued high stages of load shedding, stages 4, 5 and 6. Eskom does less maintenance in winter which allows them to meet more demand, but higher stages of load shedding should be expected throughout.”
Yelland says Eskom should use the coal-powered stations until they break down to help decrease pressure on the grid.
“Eskom should simply continue operating the coal-powered stations until they drop without spending major investment on a new plant. This will help see us through the electricity emergency.”
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