Government has issued a request for proposals to procure 2GW of emergency power, a step needed to help plug a severe energy shortage, the department of energy said on Saturday.
State-owned power utility Eskom has been forced to cut power regularly, hobbling economic growth as unreliable coal-fired plants struggle to generate enough electricity to meet demand.
Scheduled blackouts have resumed as South Africa has eased strict lockdown restrictions to contain the new coronavirus and has re-opened power-hungry industries, such as mining, in a bid to kick-start a weak economy.
During load shedding, which is meant to protect the national power grid from complete collapse, residents and businesses are typically left without electricity for several hours at a time.
In December, South Africa issued a request for information to source between 2GW and 3GW of generation capacity to be connected in the shortest time, at the least cost.
“All power procured under this programme is expected to be fully operational by not later than the end of June 2022,” the department said in Saturday’s statement, adding it expected to attract around R40-billion of investment.
Power ships
In February, Turkey’s Karpowership, one of the world’s largest suppliers of floating power plants, said it had submitted plans to provide “several” ships capable of alleviating the country’s power shortages.
The department of energy said on Saturday that bidders would need to conform to South Africa’s policies designed to broaden economic participation for the black majority and to make commitments to job creation and skills development. — Reported by Wendell Roelf, (c) 2020 Reuters
