We're not complaining, but where's Eskom getting all the electricity from?
It's been two weeks since the embattled power utility last implemented loadshedding
Picture: Xanderleigh Dookey-Makhaza/Eyewitness News.
Motheo Khoaripe speaks to Chris Yelland, energy analyst and MD at EE Business Intelligence.
Where, oh where has loadshedding gone?
That seems to be the question many South Africans have asking of late, as the country enjoys a spell of two weeks without any power cuts.
Last year was the worst year on record in terms of loadshedding, but Eskom has somehow turned things around this year by keeping the lights on for longer than any of us expected.
No stories of wet coal, or the conveyor belt not working at one or more of the power plants around the country.
So what are they doing right at Eskom this time around for us to actually receive the electricity that we pay for?
Chris Yelland, energy analyst and MD at EE Business Intelligence says there have been less 'unplanned' breakdowns occurring in the first three months of the year.
"This has given Eskom more space to do maintenance, so they've increased the planned maintenance outages, and are doing higher levels of maintenance this first 13 weeks of the year, compared to the same period last year."
- Chris Yelland, energy analyst and MD - EE Business Intelligence.
"It's really because the demand for Eskom electricity is reducing year-on-year. It has been doing so for several years, and the private sector has come onboard vey significantly in the last two years."
- Chris Yelland, energy analyst and MD - EE Business Intelligence.
"The more the private sector can supplement the electricity supply the better. And also the price of electricity has been going up dramatically, this is causing customers to also look carefully at their electricity consumption."
- Chris Yelland, energy analyst and MD - EE Business Intelligence.