Africa Power Industry: Energy, South Africa and Eskom failures

Over a third, or 37%, of Eskom installed generating capacity was offline as of last Thursday — Energy crisis in the country of Madiba

Four members of the Board of Directors of the company ESKOM, including your PDA, have been suspended. The suspension is designed to facilitate investigation of the poor performance of state-owned company in the solution of deep electricity crisis characterized by constant and prolonged cuts electricity supply in most industrialized economy in Africa, as reported by Miningweekly.

President Jacob Zuma acknowledges that the situation is serious but avoids talking about collapse.

For Zuma, this situation is caused by the expansion of the network to the black population previously ignored by apartheid.

Technical ESKOM agree with the President but add that the last 20 years There were no new investments in production infrastructure and distribution of electricity.

The damage caused by constant and prolonged cuts electricity supply are very high in the economy.

For technical ESKOM, the cuts are intended to prevent the total collapse of the system, while seeking alternatives, including construction of nuclear power plants with the support of Russia.

Two weeks ago a new central production Medupi electric chain went into action, but their production is insufficient to feed the heavy industry and other consumers, so the cuts will continue at least for the next three years, according to forecasts.

Much of the electricity used in South Africa is produced by the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique.

South Africa also receives natural gas produced in southern Mozambique by Sasol petrochemical company.