Eskom assures MPs that it has a comprehensive winter plan

CAPE TOWN - Eskom has assured members of parliament that the entity has a comprehensive winter plan to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Members of parliament’s Electricity and Energy Committee raised concerns about Eskom’s ability to prevent power cuts after the company implemented stage two load shedding on Thursday.

Eskom management briefed the committee about the entity's strategic corporate plan for the next five years and also issues around the company’s budget.

READ: Eskom recovers generation capacity, suspends load shedding

Eskom management appeared before the committee a day after implementing stage two load shedding, but was suspended at midnight.

But African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) MP Wayne Thring said that he expected better preparation from Eskom going into winter.

"One would have thought that our maintenance programme and preparation for the oncoming winter would have mitigated and prevented load shedding going forward."

MP Fasiha Hassan said that they are still concerned about power cuts and the use of diesel to keep the lights on.

“We are load shedding right now, I think we’re all very concerned and worried that it’s the beginning of winter. We need to know how hard we are driving these open-cycle gas turbines,” said Hassan.

Eskom CEO, Dan Marokane, allayed members’ concerns, saying that capacity will increase as the country enters winter.

 "This year we will enter June with additional capacity for Medupi Unit 6, Kusile Unit 6 and the refurbished Koeberg Unit 2."

He said that diesel usage will “fizzle out” over the course of a year because they will get to a point when all machines are back in operation.