Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa Says Increased Loadshedding Doesn’t Mean Grid Collapse Is Imminent

• Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has dismissed claims that South Africa's power grid is on the verge of collapsing
• The minister said that higher stages of loadshedding did not mean that a total grid collapse would happen
• Ramokgopa said that the government was looking into several interventions to prevent the grid from collapsing

CAPE TOWN - Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa attempted to quell fears about the possibility of a total grid collapse.

Electricity minister says power grid collapse is improbable

Delivering his first speech during the Presidency budget vote on Wednesday, 31 May, Ramokgopa said that increased stages of loadshedding did not indicate that a total grid collapse was on the horizon.

The electricity minister added that it was highly improbable that the grid would collapse, EWN reported.

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Ramokgopa said:

“A national blackout or grid collapse remains highly improbable as multiple safeguards are in place to ensure it does not occur.”

Ramokgopa warns of higher stages of loadshedding in winter

The electricity minister also warned that the high demand for electricity in winter would increase loadshedding throughout the season.

He added that the government was exploring interventions, including importing power from Lesotho and Namibia. Ramokgopa reiterated that the worst-case scenario who SA's energy crisis if the government's interventions failed involved higher stages of loadshedding as opposed to a total grid collapse.

Earlier, Ramokgopa said that Eskom had reserved margins that protect the grid, and they wouldn't be used anytime soon, IOL reported.

South Africans are unconvinced by electricity minister's assurances

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Below are some comments:

@LandOfBlackOuts asked:

"Highly improbable doesn’t mean highly unlikely, there is no certainty. Why are the banks taking precautions if it’s highly improbable?"

@Thys_Cl said:

"We don’t believe you. How can we?"

@truthloveryes rebutted:

"The ANC telling the truth and providing a trustworthy assessment: highly improbable."

@SirGerZA claimed:

"Come now, Sputla. I think it is highly probable as Eskom is struggling at 25% output."

@CyberDelcapone accused:

"This guy collapsed @CityTshwane did you expect him to keep Eskom afloat?"

@MankindFallen added:

"And tomorrow, it will be probable again...spare us your clueless ramblings."

Pravin Gordhan says South Africans should settle for an entire year of loadshedding, Mzansi wants the ANC out

In a related story, Briefly News reported that South Africans would have to learn to live with rolling blackouts for the entire year. This is according to Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan.

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During his department’s budget vote speech in Parliament on Tuesday, 23 May, Gordhan stated that ending loadshedding will likely happen in March 2024, reports SABC News.

“We now know as a population and as an economy to settle for loadshedding of a significant order until the end of the year at least," said Gordhan.

Source: Briefly News