In a media briefing on Monday, July 24, Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, praised Eskom’s improved winter energy availability factor (EAF), which hit 70%, exceeding both expectations and last year’s performance.
Ramokgopa commended Eskom’s group executive for generation, Bheki Nxumalo, and the executive team for this significant achievement during a period of peak electricity demand.
"The numbers are far exceeding even our own expectations and projections of where we thought we will be this time of the year in the journey to recovery," Ramokgopa stated.
He highlighted that the EAF had increased by 15 percentage points compared to the same period last year, moving from 55% to 70%. This improvement marks a critical step towards resolving South Africa's ongoing energy deficit.
Despite this progress, Ramokgopa acknowledged the persistent issues in electricity distribution, which undermine the goal of universal access. He detailed the three key elements of universal access: access, availability, and affordability.
While the availability of electricity has improved, distribution infrastructure remains problematic due to illegal connections and insufficient maintenance, disproportionately affecting poorer areas.
Eskom’s EAF measures the difference between maximum availability and all unavailabilities, including planned and unplanned capability losses, expressed as a percentage.
Ramokgopa noted that on July 23, Eskom’s fleet achieved an availability of over 35,000MW for the first time in six years, with 89 of the more than 120 load shedding-free days occurring during winter.
The minister also emphasised the urgent need to address the affordability of electricity. "There’s been an exponential rise in the cost of electricity," Ramokgopa noted.
He outlined plans for a new electricity pricing strategy, involving collaboration with Eskom, municipalities, and the South African Local Government Association (Salga).
IOL