Jan Oberholzer leaving Eskom

Former Eskom chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer is parting ways with the embattled power utility by “mutual agreement”.

The group announced on Monday (17 July) that the former COO will leave the group on 31 July.

Oberholzer retired from the group at the end of April 2023, but stayed on as a contractor to provide support for the ongoing Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and Kusile Power Station projects.

Oberholzer has been outspoken in his leadership roles at Eskom, often painting a frank picture of the country’s energy outlook.

Following his retirement, he has continued to provide insights and warnings into the reality of the Eskom fleet.

Most recently, he painted a bleak picture for the country’s energy future, stating that South Africa still lacks a plan to prevent load shedding.

In an interview with Biznews founder Alec Hogg, Oberholzer further warned that South Africa still lacks a comprehensive plan to prevent load-shedding.

“South Africa’s failure to develop a plan to avoid future load-shedding is concerning,” he said.

It’s essential for policymakers to accurately predict demand in the short-term and long-term, from the next three months to 50 years ahead.

“Without a clear understanding of future needs, it’s impossible to determine the necessary infrastructure requirements,” he said.

Eskom has around 14 coal-fired power plants with an average age of 44 years. Apart from the ageing generation fleets, the plants have also not been adequately maintained.

“Within the next 12 to 15 years, those producing approximately 20,000MW will reach the end of their operational life,” Oberholzer said.

“We need a comprehensive understanding of our infrastructure needs, considering factors such as gas, batteries, and other emerging technologies. Unfortunately, this is still lacking in our country.”

Additional reporting by Daily Investor

Read: Load shedding: South Africa walking a ‘razor thin’ line