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A mini Eskom? Mantashe hopes to create a new power utility
The minister says government wants to take pressure off Eskom and appears to be targeting mines' generation capacity as a start.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe. Picture: Gallo Images/Netwerk24/Felix Dlangamandla
Minister of Mineral and Energy Resources Gwede Mantashe has said that government hopes to create a new power utility independent of Eskom.
Mantashe was speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday, and made remarks to journalists on the indaba’s sidelines, Fin24 reports.
The minister said government would give mining companies the permission to generate energy they can use without having to obtain a licence.
Mantashe said these mining companies would be allowed to sell electricity after having successfully obtained such a licence.
An invitation has been extended to investors to either work with government or independently invest in the establishment of another power utility.
Within a year, he said, “we hope we can say we have a site for energy generation outside of Eskom”.
“We want people to sell energy through transmission. We want to take the pressure off of Eskom,” added Mantashe.
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