By Zuko Komisa
Eskom’s calculations indicate that it would be necessary to adopt stage 15 load-shedding unless South Africa makes substantial investments in renewable energy and loosens air quality requirements.
At the Africa Renewables Investment Summit in Cape Town, Eskom CEO André de Ruyter issued this warning.
Eskom has two options, according to De Ruyter, because its current coal-fired power plants don’t fulfil minimum emissions standards.
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Decommission them or spend about R300 billion to upgrade them with equipment to clean their emissions.
“Stage 15 load shedding. I don’t want to know what that looks like,” De Ruyter said, adding that it would cost 100,000 jobs.
Eskom cannot assume this predicted cost, and even if it could, doing so would result in higher electricity prices.
Eskom has already requested a price increase of 32% for this year.
Eskom would have to shut down 16 GW of capacity right away and 30 GW by 2025 if retrofitting were to be considered.
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