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Cape Town - Eskom’s plan to increase its electricity exports is gaining momentum as it has signed a second firm power sales agreement in just over a week.
Eskom and Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) signed a three-year firm power supply agreement. The power utility said this move is in line with Eskom’s plan to increase its electricity exports to South Africa’s neighbouring states.
“The conclusion of this agreement serves to demonstrate our commitment to the SADC region to provide energy security and certainty with regard to long-term supply of energy," Eskom acting chief executive Matshela Koko.
READ: Koko: Eskom is open for business, seals deal to sell electricity
"Eskom reaffirms its position that we are ‘open for business’ and stand ready to undertake further long-term supply agreements, for up to 10 years, with our various trading partners.”
This transaction follows a five-year electricity sales agreement with Namibia’s national electricity utility NamPower.
Eskom said it currently has excess capacity of about 4000 MW, excluding an operating margin.
READ: Eskom gets more power
On Monday, Medupi Unit 5 reached commercial operation, which means that it is able to supply power to the national grid during peak times.
Despite delays and cost overruns, Eskom noted that the unit's commercial operation came ahead of the scheduled time line of March 2018.
Unit 5 was first synchronised to the national grid on 8 September 2016. This was then followed by further testing and optimising, which resulted in its full power of 800 MW being attained on 17 December 2016.
