Eskom’s progress: A fragile light in the load shedding tunnel

The light at the end of the load shedding tunnel appears to be getting brighter. But, say the experts, it’s still too early to put the power generation crisis behind us.

Eskom has displayed “sustained, improved performance” and has managed to consistently achieve its target benchmark of a 60% energy availability factor.

That’s a lot higher than it has been for a while but again, nothing to arrange victory parades for, because it still means that 40% of installed electricity capacity in the country is unavailable.

And an energy availability factor of 60% is considered by industrialised countries as an abject failure.

ALSO READ: ‘Not yet out of the woods, but SA beginning to bear fruits’ – Ramokgopa

Our electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is bullish about the progress which has been made in the past few weeks… as you’d expect him to be, given that he gets judged on results and playing up the positive helps his image.

However, returning to reality – which is where most of us (bar ANC politicians with their backup generators) live – the warmer weather has reduced demand for power, while the solar tsunami in private and business sectors must also have significantly cut daytime demand for the Eskom grid.

Ramokgopa has admitted previously that the criminal looting of the electricity system is far from being contained – a fact echoed by the lack of major prosecutions for this type of malfeasance.

And, until that is contained and then eradicated, our country will still remain hostage to the criminal mafias which are milking Eskom.

ALSO READ: Eskom keeps the lights on, but for how long?

And that means probable future breakdowns and the splurging of huge amounts of money to fix them.

In addition, some of the improvements in capacity may have been at the expense of thorough scheduled maintenance – which was effectively the reason for the initial power collapse in 2008.

One day, maybe, this will all be a nightmarish memory. But that day won’t be soon.