Ramaphosa wants grid to stabilise to reduce higher stages of load shedding

President Cyril Ramaphosa believes the energy action plan will be able to get South Africa out of the electricity crisis.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said it was unfortunate that the country was now faced with higher stages of load shedding because of unplanned breakdowns at power stations and planned maintenance.

He said Eskom was attending to the challenge of unplanned breakdowns at power stations.

But the energy action plan has a long-term solution for the country.

Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was always keeping the nation abreast on the state of the grid.

Magwenya said they were taking all measures to ensure the grid was stabilised.

"These higher stages of load shedding are primarily, as we all know, caused by a large number of megawatts being taken off the grid as a result of unplanned breakages,"’ said Magwenya.

He said that in addition to this, there were units that were taken for planned maintenance.

He said this was done to ensure the long-term sustainability of the grid.

"As the president said last week as he was asked a question in a parliamentary session, ‘we are taking short-term pain for long-term gain’ in that Eskom cannot take its eye off the ball in terms of planned maintenance. That has to continue. Unfortunately, we have to contend with these unplanned breakages.

"We remain confident that we are on track with respect to the implementation of the energy action plan. We remain confident that this planned maintenance programme will deliver the envisaged result and will contribute significantly in the stabilisation of our grid. We are attending to these unplanned breakages with the necessary speed that is required," said Magwenya.

The electricity crisis has led to billions lost in the economy.

South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Lesetja Kganyago said recently that load shedding has contributed to slow economic growth.

He said the economy would have grown at a higher rate compared to the 2% growth that was recorded last year.

South Africa has not grown above 5% in the last few years, and government wants to get more investments into the country to push up growth.

siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za

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