DMRE to overcome load shedding within the next 12 months
CAPE TOWN – Speaking at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town.Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe says there are plans to resolve continuous blackouts within a year. Mantashe says the plans include maintaining power stations, buying electricity from neighbouring countries, and hiring more skilled personnel at Eskom.
Mantashe said, “as a Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, we’ve put four points that we think needs attention if we’re going to overcome load shedding within the next 12 months.”
“The first one is improving electricity availability factor through a focus funded plan maintenance at existing power stations. Procurement of emergency and short-term power from existing facilities in other private power plants and purchase additional electricity in neighbouring countries…and lastly to improve the skills capacity at Eskom.”
“This proposal has been put forward for resolving load-shedding in the next 12 months and this will give us space to work on long-term energy security for the country.”
The National Executive Committee of the ANC has urged the ANC government to declare a National State of Disaster to address the energy crisis (a crisis created by the self-same ANC government) has – predictably – been met with extreme scepticism and even outrage.
In any event, it is far from clear that a declaration of a State of Disaster to deal with the energy crisis will be lawful.
