Amid dire warnings of rolling blackouts next year, the government has confirmed that it will spend R800-billion on improving the country’s energy infrastructure.
President Jacob Zuma said that government is looking for funding solutions for the Kusile power station project that is underway, but added that the R800-billion includes the R385-billion being spent by Eskom on new generation capacity.
Electricity demand in South Africa is expected to double in the next 20 years. Zuma was speaking at the opening of the Camden power station that was mothballed several years ago and then recommissioned to augment South Africa’s power supplies.
Camden is one of three power stations being returned to service. Grootvlei and Komati power stations are only expected to be working in about two years time.
Zuma says that there are currently about three million households without electricity and this number is increasing as more and more informal settlements spring up around the country.
According to Eskom chief executive, Brian Dames, the country has not invested enough money in power generation and as a result electricity disruptions are likely to be a reality for the next five years.
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