implement Stage 6 power cuts until Friday morning.
Mamphweli says should blackouts could be ramped up to Stage 8 should Eskom experience more problems at power stations. He says, “At the way things are going, we can’t rule it out because we didn’t expect load shedding at this point in time. The Eskom power stations break down anytime, so if we have further problems then we could see ourselves going to Stage 8 load shedding.”On Wednesday, energy expert Professor Mark Swilling said without financial intervention from government, Eskom has no choice but to propose electricity tariff hikes.
The National Energy Regulator is yet to decide on Eskom’s tariff increases for the coming financial years with the power utility reportedly trying to hike prices by over 30%.“It’s like a perfect storm increasing load shedding and rising costs. From Eskom’s point of view, as a business, government has not yet come to the party to take over the debt or a portion of the R400 billion outstanding debt which Eskom cannot service. There is declining maintenance, so the energy available is dropping.
They are also selling less energy, so they have to increase the price. From Eskom’s point of view, it is justifiable. They need to be financially viable if government does not come to the party.”
They should just cut all the energy hoba this thing ya stages le senya thepatsa batho. Its December people bought groceries (perishable goods)lere ba li behe kae?