Eskom warns of winter power cuts – unless Treasury signs new coal deals: report
Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane has warned that South Africans can expect power cuts this winter unless the National Treasury urgently signs purchase agreements so Eskom can build up its coal reserves, according to a report by TimesLive.
Speaking at the sidelines of African Utility Week conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Ngubane noted that the power provider had no problems over the past two winters as Treasury funding had ensured sufficient coal was brought in and that stocks built up the stocks to more than a million tons.
“Now we have a problem because Treasury has not yet signed our coal purchase agreements and we are in winter‚ and the winter is getting bitter, said Ngubane.
“People are using electricity like crazy … We need to have enough stock of coal in view of that.”
He further gave credit for the uninterrupted electricity supply to newly reinstated Eskom CEO Brian Molefe‚ who on his second day back in the hot seat skipped the event due to other “urgent matters”.
Reports point to Molefe missing the start of the conference after investigative group, amaBhungane, implicated him in a plan to help the controversial Gupta family “hijack” the Optimum Coal mine operation from Glencore.
Former mining minister, Ngoako Ramatlhodi made damning allegations against Molefe, Ngubane and president Jacob Zuma, telling amaBhungane that he was fired from the department when he would not go along with a plan to blackmail former Optimum owners, Glencore.
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