Page 5 - AfrElec Week 39 2022
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AfrElec ESKOM AfrElec
SA govt starts restructuring
of Eskom board
SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH Africa’s government has started The company has an installed capacity of
restructuring the board of power utility Eskom around 40,000MW, but in an update on Wednes-
amid public concerns that the current one has day afternoon, it had lost more than 20,000MW
failed to end a biting electricity shortage in the due to breakdowns and plant shutdowns for rou-
continent’s most-advanced economy. tine maintenance.
A local independent daily, Eye Witness News, Eskom chief executive Andre de Ruyter told a
cited Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gord- parliamentary committee on Tuesday they were
han announcing on September 27 President working to ease the power shortage by, among
Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest bid to deal with the pro- other measures, extending the lifespan of its
tracted crisis, marked by regular load shedding sole nuclear plant, Koeberg by 20 years. The
(rolling blackouts). 32-year-old facility has a name-plate capacity of
The incumbent board’s term ended in 2021 1,940MW.
but was extended subject to review. In office since November 2019, De Ruyter,
Gordhan said that he had been in constant just like the board, has been under fire for fail-
communication with the board on various mat- ure to resolve the crisis. A provincial structure
ters pertaining to the “current generation chal- of Ramaphosa’s party, the African National Con-
lenges” and other energy-related matters such as gress (ANC) on Monday asked De Ruyter and
procurement, recruitment of former and experi- the board to resign.
enced Eskom employees, and combatting fraud “Eskom is facing leadership and management
and corruption. deficiencies, from its governing body, the board,
Eskom has in recent months been rationing and the head of administration in the form of the
electricity, blacking out some areas for up to 12 CEO Mr Andre De Ruyter,” he said, according
hours daily as its generating plants, most of them to Eye Witness News on Tuesday. “The country
old and coal-fired, break down frequently. Theft cannot afford to continue with the current situa-
and vandalism of transmission and distribution tion. The board and CEO must resign.”
infrastructure have exacerbated the problem.
Week 39 29•September•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P5
