Kgosientsho Ramokgopa Believes Extending Lives of Old Eskom Power Stations Could End Loadshedding by December

• Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's ambitious plan to end loadshedding by December is ruffling some feathers
• The electricity minister has proposed extending the lives of SA's old coal power stations, which is in direct conflict with the Just Energy Transition
• Ramokgopa claims that the country's commitment to ending climate change should not happen at the expense of the economy

CAPE TOWN - Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has an ambitious energy action plan to end crippling loadshedding by December.

The plan, which Ramokgopa tabled at a special Cabinet meeting convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa, includes extending the lives of Eskom's old coal-fired power stations.

Extending the lives of the power stations would require Eskom to divert investment into the refurbishment of the plants.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, 19 April, and according to TimesLIVE, Cabinet insiders were confident that the plan would be approved by the end of the meeting.

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Ramokgopa's energy action plan conflicts with SA's climate goals

The plan has been met with some pushback from groups who believe the power stations nearing the end of their lives should be decommissioned and replaced by renewable energy sources.

Ramokgopa's plan contrasts SA's climate goals and President Ramaphosa's push for a Just Energy Transition, which involves the decarbonisation of the country and an expansion of SA's energy mix.

Electricity minister believes renewables won't generate as much electricity as coal

Ramokgopa has expressed concerns about the renewables possibly not providing the same amount of electricity as the coal-fired power stations.

While Ramokgopa conceded that renewables are the future, the electricity minister said that SA's commitment to climate change should not be at the expense of the country's economy, EWN reported.

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The electricity ministers' fears may be moot. In 2022, the US Energy Information Administration revealed that the country's renewable energy mix (hydropower, wind and solar) produced more electricity than coal.

South Africans aren't confident in electricity minister's plan to end loadshedding by December

Below are some comments:

@STEVEHAAGSPORT said:

"Sure, it will be over by December. December 2035."

@AbigailNdlovu16 claimed:

"Procrastination..."

@KkKakaza added:

"I smell lies."

Pitso Trinity Maholela speculated:

"By the way, things are going, come December we will be Stage 1 000, serious."

Micheal Mokhine exclaimed:

"This is ridiculous... ANC must be removed."

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa insisted loadshedding didn’t reach Stage 8 amid reports Eskom increased blackouts

Earlier, Briefly News reported that Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa insisted that loadshedding did not exceed Stage 6 despite reports that Eskom secretly implemented Stage 8 last week.

According to Sunday Times, the embattled power utility "silently" shed 7 072MW of electricity, pushing the country into the Stage 8 threshold of 7 001MW to 8 000MW.

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However, Ramokgopa noted that he had no information from Eskom that Stage 8 loadshedding had been implemented.

Source: Briefly News