Cape Town - Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is expected to table his plan to the NEC on the energy crisis, which includes reducing the severity and frequency of load shedding.
Ramokgopa had already presented the plan to the National Working Committee two weeks ago.
The NEC is meeting in Gauteng over four days and the meeting kicks off on Friday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa convened a special Cabinet meeting this week where the plan was discussed, with further assessment to be done soon.
The country has over the last few weeks been experiencing intensive power cuts.
When Ramokgopa briefed the media a few weeks ago he said the demand outstripped the supply.
At the time the energy availability factor was 53% and the country needed 6 000MW to close the gap.
He said both Kusile and Medupi power stations give the country more than 9 000MW but the energy availability in these two stations was a combined 52%.
In Kendal, the installed capacity was 4 100MW, but it gives the country 3 000MW.
In Matimba the energy availability factor was 75%.
In Majuba power station the energy availability factor was 47.95%.
Lethabo, which is located in the Free State, has 3 708MW of installed capacity, but the energy availability factor was 73.8%.
Tutuka power station, which was commissioned in the 1980s, has installed capacity of 3 600MW but the energy availability factor was 26%.
It is regarded as one of the poor performing stations in the country.
Ramokgopa had said if the government was to invest at Tutuka it can get good results. The state would need to refurbish units 1, 2 and 3.
“That’s the decision that Cabinet has to make,” said Ramokgopa.
In Matla the energy availability factor was 53%. The minister had said the station had a target to ramp the energy availability factor to 63%.
Duvha power station has an energy availability factor of 43%.
Ramokgopa said with Arnot, units 2 and 3 are expected to be decommissioned by 2026.
“You know, you can extend the life of these units so that you can protect the South African economy,” said Ramokgopa.
In Camden it was expected to be shut down by 2025 and the system will lose 1 165MW.
He said Kusile will give the country 2 100MW by December.
Ramokgopa said the situation in winter looked bad.
“When we go to Cabinet there were targets that were set out. On the basis of the options we are presenting before them, we are able to illustrate how these targets can be revised, either upward or downward or maintained. I did make a projection about winter. We can see it’s going to be a difficult winter,” he said.
The NEC meeting comes as the ANC confirmed that Namibian President Hage Geingob will address it on Friday.
This is part of strengthening relations between the ANC and Swapo.
The ruling party has been strengthening party-to-party with allies in the continent and beyond.
“Aligned with the ANC 55th National Conference resolutions to strengthen party-to-party relations with our sister parties, South West African People’s Organisation (Swapo) President, comrade Hage Geingob will attend the NEC meeting and deliver a message of support,” said the ANC.
Geingob was on a State visit where he met with President Ramaphosa.
Both leaders brushed off the Phala Phala saga when they were asked about it.
The Namibian president, who also leads Swapo, which has been in power since it gained independence in March 1990 also spoke out against the fighting in Sudan.
He had joined Ramaphosa in their condemnation of the fighting between the army and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces and called for the immediate cessation of hostilities.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Current Affairs