Eskom has been forced to use diesel-fuelled auxiliary turbines in order to avert load shedding in South Africa.
The State utility has been praised for its ability to keep the lights on as the country has not had load shedding for more than six months.
In replies to questions sent by Bloomberg, Eskom admitted that it has been extensively using diesel turbines to restore generation capacity that was delayed.
Eskom used the diesel turbines to help units after 2,685 megawatts of capacity failed to return to service on September 23, 2024.
Eskom has been plagued in recent months by plant outages which have led to extensive usage and more pressure on the national grid, and as a result, have had to rely on open-cycle gas turbines.
The recent cold snaps over the country have also played a role.
“Additionally, higher-than-expected electricity demand driven by cold weather has contributed to this situation,” Eskom said.
Eskom said that South Africa can expect no load shedding till the end of March 2025.
Tariff hike
Yesterday, the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said that government will oppose tariff hikes from Eskom that are above 20%.
Eskom needs around R446 billion for the 2025/26 financial year and has proposed a controversial tariff hike that includes an astronomical 36.15% increase for 2026, followed by additional hikes in 2027 and 2028.
Ramokgopa acknowledged that the proposed tariff could have huge implications and could erode the disposable incomes of households and businesses in South Africa, which are under financial pressure.
“The poor will have to choose between buying a loaf of bread or replenishing their electricity. We do not want to get to that stage (and) we need to resolve this,” he said.
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