JOHANNESBURG – With calls for a state of disaster to be declared with increased funding, there are concerns that this may not be the only solution to Eskom’s problems.
The utility said funds were needed to buy gas and diesel to drive Eskom’s back-up systems, but the Kusile and Medupi power stations are still not operating properly.
These two power stations were an earlier solution to the country’s power problems.
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But energy analyst Professor Hartmut Winkler said there were major technical problems at these two facilities, and funding would not necessarily address this.
“The reason why we are, at the moment, in this clearly high stage of load shedding especially for this time of the year is because 4 of the 6 units at Kusile which is the biggest – together with the Medupi power station – power station in the country. Four out of 6 [units] are not working, 1 out of 6 Medupi units are not working,”
Eskom reduced loadshedding to stage 4 on Friday morning, with stage 3 kicking in on Saturday from 5am until Sunday morning.