Dylan Bettencourt
Johannesburg DA mayor Mpho Phalatse said the city needs R26 billion to stabilise its power supply.
Speaking at an energy conference on Monday, Phalatse said that the biggest city in South Africa only has a budget of R7.7 billion for infrastructure.
South Africa has dealt with rolling blackouts since 2008 as Eskom continues to battle against demand and failing power stations.
CEO of the power utility Andre de Ruyter has claimed in the past that new generation capacity is required for the current grid if load shedding is to be reduced.
South Africa is in its third consecutive week of load shedding as Eskom fails to keep up with demands.
In a statement on Sunday, Eskom announced the implementation of stage 2 load shedding between 5 and 10 pm throughout the week.
Eskom added that they will try to limit load shedding to the evening peak.
Phalatse however said at the energy conference that Johannesburg is aiming to become more independent from Eskom to reduce power cuts in the city.
She said this will be done by introducing a sustainable energy mix that includes Independent Power Producers and small-scale power generators.
“Clean energy provided by independent power producers will not only improve the city’s energy security but also respond positively to climate change,” Phalatse said.
She added that Johannesburg currently gets 90% of its power from Eskom and in order to become more independent, the city has to work with the private sector.
“The city recognises that we don’t have the required funding so private-public partnerships are seen as the most feasible way forward,” Phalatse said.
The mayor confirmed that energy options such as gas, smart grids and renewable energy options such as solar power, were being considered by the Metro.
Image source: @TheSouthAfrican
