Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, the chair of the Eskom board Jabu Mabuza and the Eskom CEO Phakamani Radebe on Monday met 11 industry specialists who were appointed as members of the new Eskom Technical Review Team.
The Technical Review Team includes academic-, engineering- and power systems professionals and is required to conduct a rapid but intensive review of the operations, maintenance and the technical environment at Eskom power stations within four weeks of commencing their work.
The members of the new Technical Review Team are:
- Dr Tsakani Mthombeni (Coordinator)
- Ian Morrison (Coordinator)
- Seeralan Chinaboo
- Khumo Morolo
- Gladman Mkwai
- Robbie van Heerden
- Sibuyela Sishuba
- Walter Schmitz
- Vitesh Maharaj
- Lwazi Goqwana
- Phindile Mooketsi
According to a statement released by Eskom, Mthombeni is the chairperson of the Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) and also served on the President Cyril Ramaphosa's Sustainability Task Team for Eskom. Morrison is a retired executive, with many years of experience as an engineer and mining professional.
The team will examine plant unavailability due to scheduled maintenance; plant unavailability due to unplanned outages and unscheduled maintenance; operator errors resulting in power plants tripping and shutting down; and technical and operator-associated inefficiencies resulting in lower than optimum electricity output from the power station units.
The Technical Team will report to Gordhan and to a technical sub-committee of the Eskom board. The Team will meet again on Friday, March 8, 2019 to develop the methodology and work programme and will formally begin executing their mandate on Monday, March 11, 2019.
The Eskom CEO will facilitate the work of the Technical Review Team by allocating up to three technical, operating and engineering personnel, who will assist with access and information collection.