The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has praised Eskom for its recent performance, resulting in the suspension of load shedding for nearly two months.
At the Enlit Africa Conference in Cape Town, the DMRE, Eskom, and other key players in the energy and water sectors collaborated to reassess priorities and devise plans to ensure future energy and water security.
Jacob Mbele, Director General of the DMRE, stated, "On behalf of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, I commend the Eskom team and leadership for their excellent work. I'm not going to ask what you are doing, but I'll say keep on doing what you're doing because it seems to be working and solving the problem. Progress is also being made in other areas of the Energy Action Plan, such as fast-tracking the procurement of new generation capacity."
Eskom announced plans to increase generation capacity in the coming months, with power stations like Medupi and Koeberg expected to ramp up production by the end of December. The utility is committed to building on the progress made in addressing load shedding.
Top management highlighted that the Generation Operational Recovery Plan, which began in March last year, is responsible for the improved reliability of the generation fleet and is working hard to rebuild confidence.
Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill
Electricity Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa anticipates that President Cyril Ramaphosa will sign the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill into law before the elections. Last week, Parliament passed the proposed law, officially ending Eskom’s 100-year monopoly.
Ramokgopa noted that the Bill would formalize measures to open the market to competitive trading, as he provided an update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan.
