‘Difficult’ winter ahead for SA, but risk of national blackout ‘extremely low’ – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated that although South Africans should brace for a difficult winter, the risk of a national blackout remains extremely low.

Ramaphosa presented the Presidency’s budget in the National Assembly on Wednesday, where he updated the nation on the progress of several projects undertaken by the government.

Electricity generation projects

As the country battles with load shedding, which is currently at stage 6, Ramaphosa assured South Africans the government has made progress in implementing the measures that we outlined in the Energy Action Plan.

“First, in line with our economic reforms in network industries, we have allowed the private sector to invest in electricity generation projects of any size,” said Ramaphosa.

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“Following that, more than 100 projects are now at various stages of development, representing over 10 000 MW of new generation capacity and over R200 billion of investment. The exponential growth of private sector investment in electricity generation is proof that this reform is having a major impact.”

The investments, according to Ramaphosa, will significantly close the shortfall in electricity supply.

New generation capacity

The government has also accelerated the procurement of new generation capacity.

“Three projects from the risk mitigation programme have entered construction, with a further five projects expected to reach financial close during this quarter. Project agreements have been signed for 25 preferred bidders from Bid Window 5 and 6 amounting to approximately 2800 MW, of which 784 MW is already in construction,” said Ramaphosa.

In the coming months, government will initiate the procurement of more than 10,000 MW of additional generation capacity from wind, solar, gas and battery storage, which will further contribute to closing the shortfall in energy supply.

Ramaphosa: Risk of blackout low

Ramaphosa warned South Africans of a difficult winter ahead, as demand increases and several units at Medupi, Kusile and Koeberg power stations are currently under repair and remain offline.

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These six units alone represent approximately 4 500 MW of capacity, or between four and five stages of load shedding.

“The situation will improve as we return these units to service towards the end of this year. Until then, our best hope of limiting the severity of load shedding is to reduce demand on the grid.”

The power utility has measures in place to prevent a national blackout, said Ramaphosa, days after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema warned the country of a grid collapse.

Speaking at the Economic Freedom Fighters’ press briefing last week, Malema warned South Africans that there was going to be complete darkness.

“We’re almost at the point of grid collapse. It’s a reality that South Africans must know, that we’re heading to darkness and ANC politicians are continuing business as usual, as if we’re not in a crisis. We are in a deep, deep crisis,” warned Malema at the time.

“Cellphone networks will not work, water, even if we have it, we won’t receive it because it needs electricity. Nothing is going to function, we’re heading for a disaster, worse than what Covid was. No one will go to work, the dead will have to be buried the same day because there will not be fridges to keep them.”

Although the power utility has warned South Africans of escalated load shedding stages, it has, however, assured South Africans that the grid will not collapse.

“Load shedding allows Eskom to keep the system in balance at all times,” said Ramaphosa on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Measures are in place to avoid grid collapse, says Eskom on Malema’s doomsday prediction