By Phenyo Selinda
Johannesburg – In his weekly newsletter on Monday, 15 July 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted a significant milestone for South Africa: 100 days without load shedding. This marks the longest continuous period without power outages since 2020. While celebrating this achievement, President Ramaphosa stressed the importance of not becoming complacent, urging for continued efforts to ensure a stable electricity supply.
Electricity Milestone: A Step Forward
“Electricity milestone gives us encouragement to do more,” President Ramaphosa stated in his newsletter addressed to the nation. “Last Friday marked 100 days since South Africa last experienced load shedding. This is the longest continuous period without load shedding since 2020.”
Despite this progress, the President warned that the electricity system remains vulnerable, and the possibility of future load shedding cannot be entirely ruled out. He called for ongoing efforts to secure the country’s power supply. “Rather, this milestone provides encouragement for us to do more and to work faster to ensure a secure supply of electricity now and into the future.”
Progress Under the Energy Action Plan
The President attributed the improvement to the diligent implementation of the Energy Action Plan, launched in July 2022. This plan has seen significant cooperation between the government, business, and other social partners. Eskom’s Generation Operational Recovery Plan and an intensified maintenance schedule have led to marked improvements in the performance of the country’s power stations.
“Eskom last week successfully commissioned Unit 5 at the Kusile power station, adding an additional 800 MW to the grid. This follows the power utility’s work to return three units at Kusile to service ahead of schedule,” Ramaphosa noted.
Impact on Households and Businesses
The President highlighted the relief that the absence of load shedding has brought to both households and businesses. “The improvement in the reliability of power supply has been a relief for households, who have been able to go about their daily lives without the inconvenience of load shedding. It has also been a great relief for businesses.”
He also pointed to a recent consumer confidence index by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER), which found that the suspension of load shedding significantly boosted consumer confidence in the second quarter of this year.
Economic and Business Confidence Boost
The continuous power supply has positively impacted the national economy, essential for growth. Earlier this month, steelmaker ArcelorMittal announced it would not close its operations in Newcastle and Vereeniging, citing improvements in the country’s electricity and logistics situations as key factors behind its decision.
In its April Monetary Policy Review, the South African Reserve Bank noted that “as electricity supply improves gradually, underpinned by the ongoing private investment in renewable energy generation and increased maintenance by Eskom”, South Africa’s near and medium-term outlook for growth is set to increase.
Commitment to Structural Reforms
President Ramaphosa reiterated the government’s commitment to continuing and completing the far-reaching structural reforms started during the sixth administration to resolve immediate electricity supply challenges and ensure long-term energy security. These reforms include removing the licensing threshold for new power generation projects, offering tax incentives for rooftop solar installations, opening more bid windows for renewable energy projects, and improving Eskom’s operational viability.
The commencement of trading by the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTSA) last week marks a significant milestone in the structural reform journey. NTSA will own and operate the country’s national electricity transmission system, forming part of the broader reforms aimed at establishing an electricity market that will enable competition, secure supply, and revolutionise the energy sector.
A Call for Continued Collaboration
“As the Government of National Unity begins its work, we will sustain this momentum,” Ramaphosa assured. “For us to continue to implement the Energy Action Plan and support the hard-working management and staff of Eskom, who are day by day helping to bring us out of this crisis, we must all pull in the same direction.”
The President emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between all stakeholders in both the public and private sectors to maintain and build on the progress achieved. “By focusing on the broader picture and by scaling up what has already been achieved, we are in a far better position to achieve the task we have set ourselves: to end load shedding and achieve an energy-secure future.”
Minister Ramokgopa’s Commendation
Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, also praised the milestone, calling it a testament to the hard work and dedication of Eskom employees and the broader energy sector. “This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of all those involved in the energy sector. I want to express my sincere appreciation to Eskom, its competent employees, and all stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring that we maintain a consistent power supply for our nation,” Ramokgopa said.
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