Six Eskom power stations identified as primary cause of rolling blackouts

Six Eskom power stations have been identified as the main cause of the country’s rolling blackouts. This was revealed by Eskom’s executives during their briefing to parliament about the immediate and long-term solution to load shedding.

Eskom told MPs that any improvement in these identified power stations will stabilise the national grid. But Eskom has warned the public to brace for more load shedding this year.

The power utility says these problematic stations are: Duvha, Kendal, Kusile, Majuba, Matta and Tutuka. This has prompted MPs to question whether it’s possible for Eskom to be fixed.

“Eskom has reached an irreparable stage that it cannot be turned around am I correct if I make that conclusion,” says Sahlulele Luzipo, Chairperson of the Minerals and Energy Committee.

Although the power utility says energy availability is improving, it has also warned about tough times ahead.

“I think the government is doing a lot to resolve load shedding, we are seeing good progress there although 2023 is going to be a tough year for the load shedding perspective,” says the outgoing Eskom CEO, Andre De Ruyter.

Besides ageing infrastructure, Eskom says it is also facing the theft of coal which is then exported.

“The crooks are taking coal from us and are driving to disuse sights that contain discard coal, they are switching our coal with discarded coal, and they sell the discard coal,” De Ruyter adds.

De Ruyter says the Hawks are investigating the case of his alleged poisoning.