Eskom has warned that illegal strike action by employees could make load shedding worse in the coming days.
Browsing: Energy and sustainability
Tensions are rising at Eskom, with the struggling state-owned electricity supplier confirming protests at several power plants following a breakdown in wage negotiations.
A powerful cold front, which has caused temperatures to plummet across South Africa, has forced Eskom to escalate load shedding to include daytime cuts.
Load shedding, which Eskom had been expected to implement only during the evening peaks this week, will now be ramped up significantly.
Other nations and philanthropic organisations want to join the $8.5-billion climate finance deal offered to South Africa by rich countries.
South Africa’s plan to create a separate power transmission company has been hobbled by restrictive debt arrangements with parent Eskom.
After warning earlier on Monday that load shedding could be implemented at short notice, the inevitable has now happened.
South Africa’s plan to build gas-fired power plants has become outdated with renewables becoming cheaper, Meridian Economics has found.
Eskom warned on Monday of a high risk of load shedding, especially during the evening peak from 5pm, due to a “continued shortage of generation capacity”.
South Africa’s record electricity cuts last year could rise 10-fold by 2026 unless the country rapidly adds generation capacity, Meridian Economics said.