Ramokgopa hints at courting Brics over electricity needs

Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has hinted at procuring for the country electricity and nuclear energy improvements from within the Brics bloc, although non-Brics members may also be accommodated.

The minister, who stressed everything had to be above board, did not commit to a particular country SA was eyeing as future partner in both conventional and nuclear power generation.

He was speaking in an interview with Russia Today on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week held in Moscow.

‘SA could learn from Brics partners’

Ramokgopa spoke about South Africa’s energy deficit, a plan to increase power generation capacity, load shedding, recovery of the power grid and energy-related investments in South Africa.

The minister said the Brics partners should be able to collaborate at various levels and that Russia, China and India had power stations that performed much better, with significantly better emission levels, than those in South Africa.

“So you don’t need to look further than what your Brics partners are doing,” he said.

However, he added that the country was talking to non-Brics countries, too.

The minister was confident that the grid performance would improve beyond the current six months of no load shedding.

He said load shedding would be a thing of the past, but an outside financial injection was needed as both national Treasury’s and Eskom’s financial positions were not strong.

The South African economy was in recovery mode, he said, thanks to stability achieved by Eskom leadership, especially the skilful role played by the board since 2022.

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Electricity generation still hinges on coal

South Africa is not about to abandon its coal-fired power stations, which the minister said were responsible for the country’s current grid recovery.

“In extending the life of the stations, it must not be to the detriment of the environment.

“We have committed ourselves to a clean green future and we must live up to our own commitment,” he said.

A total of $35 billion (about R603 billion) was required to expand the transmission grid as Eskom’s balance sheet remained weak.

The Brics bank was one of the funding sources to be approached, he added.

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