Cape Town – Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says Eskom requires over R200 billion for the necessary expansion and reinforcement of the country’s strained electricity grid.
According to EWN, Ramokgopa said this on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in Sandton on Wednesday.
He acknowledged Eskom’s inability to independently fund the required rapid and extensive electricity generation efforts, the report said.
Despite ongoing challenges such as load shedding for homes and businesses, Ramokgopa expressed optimism about collaborating with Brics nations to secure funding to alleviate South Africa’s energy crisis.
Specifically, he mentioned China’s potential assistance in reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants and highlighted the need for a comprehensive financing plan to address transmission expansion for accommodating renewable energy sources.
Meanwhile, China is donating equipment to at least 500 public facilities in South Africa to provide uninterrupted alternative power supply and protect them from load shedding.
The donation includes generators, power supply vehicles, and off-grid PV energy storage systems.
Ramokgopa made the announcement during the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with eight Chinese entities at the Brics Summit.
📸 Signing the Exchange of Letters between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, on the donation of emergency power equipment to South Africa, on the occasion of China’s State Visit in South Africa. https://t.co/CgtUcQjehS pic.twitter.com/VOBiqpG2CG
— Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (@Kgosientsho_R) August 22, 2023
“Yesterday we exchanged letters in relation to the technical equipment that will be assisting us to provide sustainable electricity to some of the major public installations like clinics, hospitals and police stations. We are going to get 552 of those units [and] 450 of them are already on the way.
“It means that over 500 public facilities…are now going to have access to uninterrupted alternative power supply and thank you to the Chinese for the generous contribution. [The equipment] range from 6kw up to 200kw [and] 200kw can support a clinic and a medium sized hospital so this is true relief to the South African people,” the minister said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
