Ramokgopa: Energy availability factor of 70% ’significant’
Electricity Minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa on Monday announced that Eskom’s energy availability factor had breached the 70% mark for the first time in three years.
It now stands at 70.78%
Providing an update on the Energy Action Plan at Kusile Power station in Mpumalanga, Ramokgopa said additional megawatts to the grid is the reason for the improvement.
He also highlighted the Kusile plant's impressive energy availability factor of 93%.
Monday marked the 47th consecutive day without load shedding, the longest since December 2023.
Ramakgopa said there is nothing sudden about the improvement at Eskom.
"The kind of achievement has been attained by these competent men and women, dedicated and patriotic to the resolution of the load shedding question.
"I have said to the country, we are going to restore this Eskom, this badge, its glory will be restored.”
Ramokgopa said Eskom last topped the 70% energy availability factor in August 2021.
"As I stand before you today, the energy availability factor at Eskom has breached the 70% mark, so we are at 70.78%. That is significant.”
He again denied that the use of diesel as the reason for the country's present load-shedding-free period, reiterating that Eskom has been using less diesel.
"There is little reliance on the open-cycle gas turbine. What we are being told in the public domain for those who have been unable to achieve this kind of exceptional performance, those who suggest that this improvement is sudden could be nothing further from the truth. This is anchored by these machines that are at Kusile and many other power stations.”
ALSO READ:
