Eskom a walking catastrophe says analyst

Energy expert Ted Blom has described national power utility Eskom as a walking catastrophe, with South African’s unlikely to see an end to Eskom’s problems.

The energy expert said the country could even see stage 7 load shedding by the weekend.

Blom described Eskom has having a copy paste approach to issues that needed urgent attention.

The country was headed towards an outcome where it could see a stage 8 crises before April next year.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has ordered Eskom management to get the country out of stage 6 load shedding.

While this may seem like the time Elton John told his manager to do something about the wind, or something of that nature, it’s highly worrying that the public enterprises minister is sending the instruction instead of assisting to clear it.

The country is currently in a state of shock following the announcement and implementation of stage 6 load shedding this week, from a planned stage 4.

With a requirement of up to 6000 megawatts, shed from the national grid, stage 6 load shedding means citizens will spend at least six hours a day without power.

The extreme case in stage power cuts was a result of breakdowns of two generating units at Grootvlei Power station as well as at Arnot, Duvha Kendal, Kriel and Tutuka power stations.

Some of the power stations have been delayed in returning to service meaning more candles for citizens around the country.

While Eskom received a diesel boost from PetroSA recently, the power utility has been forced to strictly preserve the remaining diesel for any extreme emergency situation such as multiple, or simultaneous trips of generators.

While the current megawatts available are dwindling due to breakdowns and maintenance, stage 8 is more likely to be a possibility in the next few weeks should breakdowns continue.

Eskom spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsha clarifying the massive stage power cut, said the recent chimney breakdown led to two chimney’s taken off grid.

In total about 24 000MW of capacity was currently unavailable, he said.

Painting a bleak picture, of dwindling power supply Mantshantsha said in reality no one could tell residents that there will be no stage 7 or 8.

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