Eskom has kept the country’s lights on for five weeks, following a gruelling period of load shedding during winter.<\/p>\n
However the power utility cautioned on Sunday that the power system will be tight in the coming days owing to maintenance work.<\/p>\n
It will undertake planned maintenance on the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric scheme together with Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB).<\/p>\n
“As a result, South Africa will get 650 MW instead of the 1 500 MW that is normally imported from Cahora Bassa on a daily basis.”<\/p>\n
The power utility said this maintenance is expected to be completed on Sunday September 20 with the scheme expected to be back on full power the next day.<\/p>\n
It pointed out that the power system will be tight, particularly over the weekday evening peak periods from this coming Tuesday to Friday.<\/p>\n
“Eskom will utilise its emergency reserves to augment the capacity shortfall as a result of this planned outage.”<\/p>\n
According to Cala van der Westhuizen, spokesperson for Energy Partners, a national mind-shift towards sustainable energy solutions may have played a significant role in Eskom managing to provide an uninterrupted power supply.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that South Africa invested approximately R73bn in sustainable energy solutions in 2014.<\/p>\n
The International Energy Agency indicated that sustainable energy formed 18% of the generation capacity mix globally in 2007, 21% in 2012 and 22% in 2013. It is anticipated that an estimated 25% of the world\u2019s energy requirements will be fulfilled through sustainable sources by 2018.<\/p>\n
Van der Westhuizen said some experts believe that the rapid growth pattern in renewable technologies in SA, will result in 100% sustainable energy generation by 2025 although he said a more realistic expectation is approximately 30%.<\/p>\n
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