07 Mar 2014

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Eskom briefing on load shedding - as it happened

Cape Town - Eskom said at a media briefing on Friday that it is experiencing severe cash flow problems and a decision to implement rolling blackouts was painful.

The briefing was necessitated after unannounced load shedding across South Africa on Thursday caused chaos for many South Africans.

Late on Thursday, Eskom said electricity was restored to all areas, after the emergency had been lifted at 22:00.

The media briefing on the state of the nation's power situation as it happened...


14:33 -

Adriaan Kruger's open letter to Eskom

14:25  -

Eskom: Saving electricity reduces pressure on the grid and cuts your electricity bill and South Africa’s carbon emissions

Tips from Eskom to save electricity:

1. Use air-conditioning efficiently

-Set air-conditioning at 23 degrees

-Close windows and doors to optimize air-conditioning

-Switch off 30 minutes before leaving the office

2. Continue to switch off all geysers and pool pumps from 5pm to 9pm.

3. As we approach winter, use alternatives to electrical heating.

4. Switch off all non-essential lighting and appliances.

5. Respond to the Power Alert and Power Bulletin radio messages by switching off all appliances that are not being used.

14:23 -

From the Eskom media briefing today: We saw significant uptake on social media and we trended on twitter. We recorded a significant increase in social media shares of messaging across all platforms (130 million compared to daily trend of 1 million)

14:22 - 


14:18 - 


14:18 - 

From the Eskom media briefing today:


14:13 -

On Friday morning, Johannesburg City Power issued a load shedding schedule as a precaution.

14:10 - 

14:09 - 

14:07 - 

14:06 - 

"If there are still any... robots not working or power cuts it's because of local suppliers." - Brian Dames according to a Sapa report.

14:02 - 

14:01 - 

That's it from the Eskom media briefing... thank you for staying with us

14:01 - 

Eskom: We are asking anyone who are not yet commercial but are operating to let us know.

14:01 -

Eskom: It might be possible that there are IPP’s who are prepared to come online earlier. Hopefully by May we will have clearer view of long term process.

13:58 - 

Oscar just started again, but stay with us...

13:56 - 

Dames: Load shedding was painful

13:56 - 

Eskom: Performance of executives is not in relation to issues they have no control over. So executives should not be judged on that.

13:53 - 

Eskom: Cash flow situation is severe.

13:53 - 

Eskom: Load shedding should not be in our vocabulary – we should try not to go there again.

13:52 - 

Johannesburg has opted for a 4 hour load shedding regime, but with shorter intervals.

13:51 - 

Eskom: The about 200 municipalities, each with their own way of implementing load shedding, must be taken into account when determining when load shedding will take place in particular areas.

13:50 - 

Eskom: We have had to prioritise. If the weather is going to continue being like this, we might be vulnerable.

13:49 - 

13:48 -

Brian Dames: We have had an emergency declared in November, February and now, so it is not like it happens every day. We try to minimise impact on economy.

13:48 - 

Brian Dames: We would have to spend a lot of money to comply with the air quality control act. We have not taken money away from maintenance. We have actually put more money towards maintenance.

13:47 - 

Brian Dames: We have to keep on looking at how to improve our system.

13:47 -

And the problem is ... weather or money?

13:46 - 

Brian Dames: We have a cash issue regarding getting all our coal stockpiles covered. And on top of that SA is experiencing more and more wet weather.

13:45 - 

Eskom chair: Even if we have a short list of candidates, the board has to take its time. It certainly is the most important decision this board has had to take.

13:45 - 

Eskom chair: Process to find CEO to replace Brian Dames is underway.

13:44 - 

Brian Dames on his retirement: I will be finishing at end of March.

13:42 - 

13:42 - 

Journalists asking more questions... 

13:40 - 

13:39 - 

Eskom: We are managing our maintenance backlog as we go along. We are performing a lot of maintenance at the moment.

13:37 -

News user Leah Knott's comment on Eskom's statement: How long it takes for coal to dry depends on moisture content and the quality of the coal. 

"Don’t they have experts who know what the moisture content is and don’t they know the quality of the coal they buy? Sounds like bad management to me... and very vague... like a developer telling a new home buyer 'we’re not sure if your wall will stand, depends on the brick quality' as if they don’t know. 

13:37 - 

Eskom: Some units are coming back on grid at the moment.

13:36 - 

The load shedding announced on Thursday morning had little influence on the market, despite the disruption it can cause in the mining and manufacturing sectors. The market’s reaction to the energy crisis depends on how long outages will continue.

13:36 - 

Eskom: Our biggest challenges with maintenance are always quantity and emergency scope when we open it up.

13:35 - 

13:34 - 

Question from News24 user Richard:

Are there issues of coal quality? I have heard that low grade coal previously used by Eskom is now being exported overseas (India), leaving Eskom with more coal dust than coal. Is this true? If so, does this not lead to both less efficient power output and increased greenhouses gases?

13:33 - 

Eskom: Sometimes even if the coal stockpile is dry, when you handle it in the rain, that impacts.

13:33 - 

Eskom: At one of the power plants we had a combination of the impact of a shift change at the mine and the stockpiles underground not being full capacity.

13:31 - 

Question and answer from News24 user:

Please explain how you can justify providing poor service delivery and charging whatever you like? 

Oh yes, I forgot that's how a monopoly works. Would be nice if there were some decent options so we didn't have to rely solely on Eskom!

13:31 - 

Eskom: If we import coal, regardless of where it comes from, we must make sure we cover that coal.

13:29 - 

13:29 - 

13:28 -

From Adriaan's open letter: We used to believe that you had very good plans to develop the electricity network and the skills to execute these plans. We understand that it is difficult to deal with politicians, which need to ratify all your decisions.

13:27 -

From Adriaan's open letter: It is unacceptable to repeat your mantra, time after time, that “we are all in this together” and “we all have a role to play” or “it is everybody in SA’s responsibility to reduce power consumption”.

13:25 - 

More questions coming in : Not sure if there will be enoug time for Eskom to answer, if not we'll try to get answers after the briefing.

13:24 - 

Answer to user question: Can Eskom not built sufficient storage places for their coal, surely we cannot every time when it rains deal with the same problem?

Eskom answer:

Millions of tonnes of coal stockpiles we are talking about – you are talking about storing 45 days of coal. We do have storage facilities.

13:24 - 

Answer to Fin24 question on Koeberg shut down: We don’t expect any major impact on W Cape power system. It is just for maintenance.

13:23 - 

Certainly for the next few years the situation will remain the same since SA needs to get a substantial addition online.

13:22 - 

Question from News24 user Mark Furness:

Why can we not expedite the wind farm process? When I drove to PE the other day I saw a beautiful wind farm and thought to myself here in Mossel Bay and the South Cape we a wind Mecca, why not speed up the process to get the farms down here.

Surly something can be done to speed up the process and smart product?

I know it has been spoken about over the last few year, but more action less talk?

13:22 - 

Certainly what happened on Thursday would have a different impact on GDP than a normal emergency situation - Eskom

13:21 - 

We have not done studies about the impact on GDP growth - Eskom

13:21 -

Thursday morning before 08:00am we had used up all our emergency contract power - Eskom

13:21 -

From Adriaan's letter: You have had 90 years of experience – and we expect better service after 90 years.

13:19 - 

Adriaan Kruger has written an open letter to Eskom... we will publish in full later.

13:17 - 

13:16 - 

@ News24 user that asked the question: We've asked Eskom about the rain and coal...

13:15 - 

... Priorities

13:15 -

When did Eskom and Oscar become equal? Priorities...

13:13 - 

13:13 - 

How long it takes for coal to dry depends on moisture content and the quality of the coal. 

13:13 -

As long as it is technically safe, Eskom has been connecting renewable IPP’s earlier – Eskom discussion panel

13:12 -

Question from a News24 user:

Can Eskom not built sufficient storage places for their coal, surely we cannot every time when it rains deal with the same problem?

13:11 - 

Lot of factors must be looked at regarding issue of competition in the energy sector – Eskom discussion panel

13:07 - 

13:07 - 

13:05  - 

The shift change at the coal mine – about 18:00 or 19:00 on Wednesday evening – the output decreased - Eskom

13:05 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: From Eskom’s perspective we need certainty from a policy and legislative perspective.

13:04 - 

Journalists can now ask questions to Brian Dames and a panel of other Eskom members.

Anything you'd like us to ask? 

13:03 - 

13:02 - 

13:01 - 

Q&A time

13:00 - 

12:59 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We want to thank our customers for their help in reducing consumption.

12:59 - 

Friendly reminder that tariffs will go up by 8% on 1 April.

12:58 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: It is very important to try and keep our current tariffs as low as possible.

12:58 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Alone Eskom cannot do it.

12:58 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We call on all customers, municipalities, commercial sector to cut waste please. They can make a significant contribution.

12:57 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: The role of the media is important in informing the public about the load shedding schedules.

Thanks again then for reconnecting us!

12:57 -

We're been reconnected, thank you Eskom or is it Telkom...

12:56 - 

12:55 - 

Eskom just disconnected us from the media briefing, will try to link up again.

12:55 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We always try to make sure the load schedules are fair.

12:54 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Customers who are supplied by municipalities must check with those municipalities about load shedding schedules and not on the Eskom website. 

12:54 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: In winter we have the peak stages between 5 and 9. 

12:53 -

Eskom outages a wake-up call for hospitals

12:52 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We do take into account critical loads – for instance at hospitals – but sometimes it is necessary that hospitals, for instance have emergency generators in case of need.

12:52 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We always first ask our industrial customers to implement savings.

12:51 - 

12:51 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We can declare a power system emergency if need be.

12:50 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Load shedding is part of the problem with the load.

12:50 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: In real time we have to make sure we can match supply and demand.

12:50 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We are making progress with building the new power plants like Medupi.

12:49 - 

12:49 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Eskom fully supports IPP’s

12:48 - 

12:48 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: About 19 green energy projects currently in process.

Quick translation: Why does Tshwane have load shedding?

12:46 - 

12:46 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: In second week of March Koeberg is coming down partly for maintenance.

12:45 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We are therefore calling on our customers to safe energy.

12:45 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Any unforeseen event will put our system at risk.

12:45 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Prognosis for next 2 weeks: The rains will continue to early part of next week.

12:44 - 

12:44 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Over last week, right up to evening of Wednesday supply was fine.

12:43 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Last year the power demand was significantly lower than last year.

12:42 -

12:42 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We have to balance the money and the outcome in dealing with challenges.

12:41 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: It would be too expensive to look at covering all the coal stockpiles. And spraying coal, would mean it would just get wet again when it is transported in rain.

12:41 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: After 2008 we keep 5 days of coal stockpiles available apart from the normal stockpiles, but we used it too due to the continuous rain.

12:40 - 

You can follow Oscar case here: 

12:40 - 

12:39 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Since 2008 we have implemented measures to deal with wet coal.

12:39 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: The coal system had to be unblocked underground at the plants which had to be shut down. Bunkers are not full yet – maybe 60% to 70% - but we hope to full it completely over the weekend.

12:38 -

12:37 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: A shift change over at one of the power plants also made an impact, together with the batch of wet coal received.

12:37 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Situation with wet coal, is that it clogs up conveyors etc

12:36 - 

12:35 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Of course this is not just about the age of a plant, but also about the work we have to do to maintain.

12:35 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Of course this also impacted on some of South Africa’s neighbours like Botswana.

12:34 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: To prevent a total collapse we had to have stage three load shedding – 20% reduction – in order to control demand and supply.

12:33 - 

12:33 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: By 08:00am on Thursday we were short 3 000 MW.

12:33 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We had 3 320 MW lost by 5:00am on Thursday and very limited generation available from emergency reserves.

12:32 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: When one of the power stations received a batch of very wet coal, it really created a position where the station had to stop.

12:32 - 

12:31 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: When we met the peak on evening of Wednesday, we used only small amount of our emergency capacity. But in the early hours of Thursday we lost 4 units.

12:31 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We have massive amounts of coal stockpiles and yes the rain affected us and that resulted in poor coal quality and that resulted in us having losses.

12:31 - 

12:30 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: The maintenance we do in summer has an impact too.

12:29 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We have 45 days of coal supply throughout our system, and we have clear procedures in place on how to deal with wet coal.

12:29 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We exercise our readiness regularly for emergencies, in terms of our power system – that is what is different to 2008.

12:28 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Every action we take is in terms of our regulations.

12:28 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: There is a team, an emergency command centre, which works to find solutions. 

12:28 -

12:27 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We can point fingers at everybody, but it remains important for all South Africans to save energy.

12:26 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: If in 1998 Medupi was built at that time, that is what we would have needed today.

12:26 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: This will be the situation through winter and beyond.

12:25 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: There are many good people out there – from power stations to national control who work very hard and it is important that South Africans support them.

12:25 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: There are two parts to solving crisis – what Eskom must do and what others must do. I ask that people support Eskom, please.

12:25 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We are committed to early warnings to our customers

12:24 - 

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: It will take another 10 years to get out of the energy crisis unless efforts are made to speed up solutions.

12:24 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: There is no-one in South Africa to start up the system if it collapses totally.

12:23 -

12:23 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: We have to protect our electricity system from a total blackout.

12:23 -

12:22 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: There is no loadshedding currently

12:22 -

12:22 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: I have not slept in my bed for 2 days

12:21 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: This brings home the importance of energy in SA and the importance of Eskom in the lives of all South Africans. We understand that and we are working extremely hard to avoid the situation that happened on Thursday.

12:21 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames: Our commitment is to be absolutely transparent with the SA public

12:20 -

12:20 -

Eskom chair thanks the CEO Brian Dames and his team for the lot they have endured over the last few days “while we were all at home with our families” to make sure everyone has a sustained electricity system – Eskom chair

12:19 -

12:19 -

We call once again on all South Africans to minimise the risk of load shedding. We all have a role to play to conserve the energy we so dearly need in SA – Eskom chair

12:19 -

12:18 -

We will continue to do everything possible to avoid load shedding – Eskom chair

12:18 -

The situation will be with us for some time due to the vulnerability of our system – Eskom chair

12:18 - 

12:17 -

Load shedding is done as a last resort to avoid a total blackout which could have a huge impact on the economy – Eskom chair

12:17 - 

We recognised that our customers are frustrated – especially about load shedding schedules.

12:17 -

12:16 - 

Like a human body, if something is wrong with the immune system, the body cannot recover. Eskom’s case, we must make sure we have enough to supply the system. – Eskom chair

12:16 - 

This week it was about wet coal, though – Eskom chairperson

12:16 - 

Impression might have been created that load shedding was mainly about wet coal, but it was also about a tight system.

12:15 - 

12:14 - 

Decision for load shedding for first time since 2008 was not taken lightly – Eskom chairperson

12:13 -

Eskom CEO Brian Dames cut short an overseas trip to be at the media briefing.


12:08 - 

Appreciating the media coming to the meeting Eskom says driving through rain and potholes you still decided to come – Eskom member tells media.

12:08 -

We will always do our best to ensure we engage with media, share ideas and keep the media informed - Eskom

12:07 -

Eskom explains emergency procedures at Megawath Park in case there is an emergency during the media briefing.

Cape Town - Unannounced load shedding across South Africa on Thursday has caused chaos for many South Africans.

Late on Thursday Eskom said electricity was restored to all areas, after the emergency had been lifted at 22:00.

Eskom said the rolling blackouts was mainly due to torrential rain in Mpumalanga, which had drenched coal supplies sitting outside power stations. 

More thunderstorms have been predicted for Mpumalanga until at least the middle of next week.

On Friday, Eskom gave a media briefing on the state of the nation's power situation.


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