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Johannesburg - Eskom is not getting a handle on the problem of power plants breaking down, said power expert Chris Yelland, according to City Press.
Eskom’s basic rule is that unplanned outages should total at most 10% (4 000MW) of capacity, while planned maintenance should also amount to at most 10%.
So far this year, unplanned outages are taking out on average 4 882MW and go up to 6 000MW.
That is still much better than the average in the first five months last year, which was 5 800MW.
But unlike last year, the planned maintenance this year is more extensive than the power lost to breakdowns.
Last year, the planned outages averaged almost exactly the 4 000MW target before winter. This year, they average 5 500MW.
According to Yelland, the fact that unplanned outages still spike to 6 000MW is “a very bad sign”.
Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger said the 10% rule about planned and unplanned outages is seasonal.
In winter, the planned maintenance should fall to about 5% (2 000MW), while going as high as 6 000MW in summer, as it has this year.
The far tighter system this year is the result of catching up on maintenance before winter forces Eskom to produce all it can.
But this still results in a lower reserve margin – the buffer before power emergencies and load shedding.
Adding to the power utility’s problems this winter is the fact that it will not be able to eliminate demand to the same extent as last year.
The National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) has refused to allow Eskom to charge power users for the expense of its controversial buy-backs from smelters.
According to Yelland, Eskom is being “disingenuous” about this.
Nersa did not ban the mechanism for reducing demand, it only ruled Eskom cannot have the cost recouped through tariffs, he said.
Read the full article on City Press.
Eskom’s basic rule is that unplanned outages should total at most 10% (4 000MW) of capacity, while planned maintenance should also amount to at most 10%.
So far this year, unplanned outages are taking out on average 4 882MW and go up to 6 000MW.
That is still much better than the average in the first five months last year, which was 5 800MW.
But unlike last year, the planned maintenance this year is more extensive than the power lost to breakdowns.
Last year, the planned outages averaged almost exactly the 4 000MW target before winter. This year, they average 5 500MW.
According to Yelland, the fact that unplanned outages still spike to 6 000MW is “a very bad sign”.
Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger said the 10% rule about planned and unplanned outages is seasonal.
In winter, the planned maintenance should fall to about 5% (2 000MW), while going as high as 6 000MW in summer, as it has this year.
The far tighter system this year is the result of catching up on maintenance before winter forces Eskom to produce all it can.
But this still results in a lower reserve margin – the buffer before power emergencies and load shedding.
Adding to the power utility’s problems this winter is the fact that it will not be able to eliminate demand to the same extent as last year.
The National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) has refused to allow Eskom to charge power users for the expense of its controversial buy-backs from smelters.
According to Yelland, Eskom is being “disingenuous” about this.
Nersa did not ban the mechanism for reducing demand, it only ruled Eskom cannot have the cost recouped through tariffs, he said.
Read the full article on City Press.
