By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, is going to embark on a series of follow-up visits to Eskom power stations.
The follow-up visits will begin at Arnot and Hendrina power stations in Mpumalanga on Monday.
“The visits are a follow-up to the initial round of visits that Ramokgopa undertook upon his appointment as the Minister of Electricity in March 2023. During the visits, the Minister sought to acquire more insights into the challenges facing the power stations.
“[This is] in order to advance the necessary interventions required to fix Eskom in line with the objectives of the Energy Action Plan to improve the reliability of electricity supply and end load shedding, “the Ministry in the Presidency for Electricity said in a statement.
On Wednesday, 8 November, Ramokgopa will visit Kriel and Matla power stations, which are also in Mpumalanga. On Thursday, he will visit Camdem power plant.
Ramokgopa is expected to visit Lethabo plant in Gauteng on Monday, 13 November. He will visit the Ankerling and Koeberg plants in the Western Cape on Tuesday, 14 November.
“Ramakgopa will be engaging with management, unions and workers during his upcoming visits,” said the Ministry.
Meanwhile Eskom says that improved generating capacity is giving it room to suspend load shedding during the day this week.
Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented on Sunday from 16h00 to 05h00 on Monday as previously scheduled.
Thereafter, load shedding will be suspended until 16h00, Eskom said.
Stage 2 load shedding will kick in again for the evening peak, lasting until 05h00 the next day. This pattern will repeat until further notice, it said.