Eskom has run out of money to buy diesel that can be used to run its emergency generation fleet and generate power, heightening the risk of South Africa being placed under extreme and sustained rolling blackout levels.
The sustained rolling blackouts of recent weeks have forced Eskom to burn more diesel in its open-cycle gas turbines to the extent that the power utility has run out of money to procure more diesel. But Eskom doesn’t have money to buy diesel and run the OCGTs to prevent higher stages of rolling blackouts at a time when more units at its coal-fired power stations face breakdowns. The power utility doesn’t plan to order more diesel until 1 April 2023 unless it receives emergency funding from the government.