Metros must move away from relying on Eskom power, says mayor
Tshwane metro hopes to procure almost half of its electricity needs from independent power producers
19 June 2024 - 17:47
by Denene Erasmus
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Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink. Picture: DEAAN VIVIER/GALLO IMAGES
The almost two-month-long reprieve in load-shedding should not stop SA’s major cities from moving away from relying solely on Eskom for their electricity supply, Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink says.
Brink said the Tshwane metro hoped to procure almost half of its electricity needs from independent power producers (IPP). At Wednesday’s inaugural Tshwane Energy Summit he outlined plans to procure at least 1,000MW of power independent of Eskom by 2026.
“We have had more than 80 days load-shedding free, but this does not mean load-shedding is over. To grow the economy and create jobs we must have growth fed by energy. SA does not have enough [energy supply] to achieve the required 2% to 4% GDP growth. This is why it is vitally important that metro cities do everything in our power to become as independent of Eskom as possible,” Brink said.
The City of Tshwane announced earlier this year that it plans to lease out two shuttered coal-fired power plants to IPPs on 40-year agreements to contribute to the 1,000MW it hopes to procure.
The 300MW Rooiwal power station and 180MW Pretoria West power station have not been operational for more than a decade, but the city believes they can be revived to contribute to its energy needs.
According to Lardo Stander, CEO of the Tshwane Economic Development Agency, the Rooiwal power station is in good condition, and it would be economically feasible to get the station online again producing power using coal as a feedstock. The Pretoria West power station would most likely have to be converted to either a gas-to-power plant or a waste-to-energy plant.
The city will appoint a transactional adviser to assist with appointing IPPs at the two stations.
Brink said energy independence was the second priority, while the first was the “financial rescue of the city” which included improving revenue collection. The city project management office has been tasked with, among other matters, stopping the debtors’ book from growing and increasing the collection rate.
Tshwane metro is owed R23bn by consumers for unpaid electricity bills.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Metros must move away from relying on Eskom power, says mayor
Tshwane metro hopes to procure almost half of its electricity needs from independent power producers
The almost two-month-long reprieve in load-shedding should not stop SA’s major cities from moving away from relying solely on Eskom for their electricity supply, Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink says.
Brink said the Tshwane metro hoped to procure almost half of its electricity needs from independent power producers (IPP). At Wednesday’s inaugural Tshwane Energy Summit he outlined plans to procure at least 1,000MW of power independent of Eskom by 2026.
“We have had more than 80 days load-shedding free, but this does not mean load-shedding is over. To grow the economy and create jobs we must have growth fed by energy. SA does not have enough [energy supply] to achieve the required 2% to 4% GDP growth. This is why it is vitally important that metro cities do everything in our power to become as independent of Eskom as possible,” Brink said.
The City of Tshwane announced earlier this year that it plans to lease out two shuttered coal-fired power plants to IPPs on 40-year agreements to contribute to the 1,000MW it hopes to procure.
The 300MW Rooiwal power station and 180MW Pretoria West power station have not been operational for more than a decade, but the city believes they can be revived to contribute to its energy needs.
According to Lardo Stander, CEO of the Tshwane Economic Development Agency, the Rooiwal power station is in good condition, and it would be economically feasible to get the station online again producing power using coal as a feedstock. The Pretoria West power station would most likely have to be converted to either a gas-to-power plant or a waste-to-energy plant.
The city will appoint a transactional adviser to assist with appointing IPPs at the two stations.
Brink said energy independence was the second priority, while the first was the “financial rescue of the city” which included improving revenue collection. The city project management office has been tasked with, among other matters, stopping the debtors’ book from growing and increasing the collection rate.
Tshwane metro is owed R23bn by consumers for unpaid electricity bills.
erasmusd@businesslive.co.za
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