Ramokgopa says awarding of battery storage tender was transparent
Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa appeared before the committee to explain the awarding of four projects in the bid window to the renewable energy company, Mulilo Energy.
Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa speaks to journalists on the sidelines of the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group meeting in Cape Town. Picture: Lindsay Dentlinger/EWN.
CAPE TOWN - Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says there’s nothing untoward in awarding a battery storage tender to a company linked to former Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer.
He told the energy and electricity committee last night that the procurement process in the bid window for the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESSIPP) was transparent.
He addressed the matter following a request by the MK Party, which says the tender has brought the procurement process into disrepute.
Ramokgopa appeared before the committee to explain the awarding of four projects in the bid window to the renewable energy company, Mulilo Energy.
Former Eskom COO, Jan Oberholzer, was appointed chairperson of Mulilo in September 2023, just two months after he left Eskom as its chief operating officer.
But Ramokgopa says it’s important that the procurement process has “integrity” and is happy to engage openly on the tender.
"But I thought it’s important that we preserve the integrity of this process and we open ourselves to scrutiny. I made the point that the value of this procurement process is in the integrity of the procurement process itself."
Ramokgopa said the procurement was instituted by the Independent Power Producer's office and not Eskom.
The matter was postponed to next week, where the IPP office is expected to brief the committee.