In a bid to stabilise the national power supply, Eskom has confirmed it spent R5.26 billion on fuel for its fleet of Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) during the current financial year. The turbines generated 892.42 GWh of electricity—almost double the 485.39 GWh produced during the same period last year.
Explaining the figures during an interview on VOC’s PM Drive show, energy analyst Redge Nkosi said the heavy reliance on diesel-powered generators points to persistent challenges within Eskom’s core operations.
“When there is a failure in some of Eskom’s generating units, diesel generators are used to restore supply. This level of spending underscores not only our dependence on OCGTs but also the ongoing issues with servicing and maintenance,” Nkosi noted.
*Listen to the full interview here.
Photo: Eskom [Online]
