Minister of Power and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramakgopa, recently shared critical insights into the performance and challenges facing Eskom, South Africa’s main electricity provider. At a recent press conference, the Minister highlighted that despite a sharp decline in power generation expenditure this year, the country has recorded a run of 272 consecutive days without power outages, the longest in five years. However, he stressed that the country is yet to fully overcome the problem of load-shedding.
Minister Ramokgopa stressed the importance of remaining focused on the goal of ending power outages permanently and creating an enabling environment for economic growth. He also highlighted the need to diversify energy sources to meet the country’s decarbonisation ambitions, given that 80% of South Africa’s electricity generation capacity still comes from fossil fuels.
In this regard, the Minister highlighted the country’s commitment to combating climate change by reducing CO₂ emissions and improving air quality around power plants, which has direct implications for the health of local populations. He also highlighted Eskom’s efforts to reduce the rate of unplanned capacity loss, which has increased the efficiency of its generation units.
Furthermore, the Minister highlighted the savings made by Eskom through reduced diesel consumption, which has increased the efficiency of electricity generation and could translate into benefits for end consumers. He also set ambitious targets, aiming to achieve an energy efficiency factor of 70% by the 2025 financial year, and to ensure universal access to electricity for all South Africans by 2030.
In conclusion, Minister Ramokgopa’s speech highlighted the progress made by Eskom, while highlighting the persistent challenges facing the energy sector in South Africa. His commitment to sustainability, energy efficiency and universal access to electricity provides an ambitious roadmap for the country’s energy future.