South Africa’s electricity distribution system causes persistent concern as it is plagued by disputes between the national power company Eskom and municipalities, the country's Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has said.
The disputes concern local authorities' debt to the state-owned power utility of $3.3 billion in arrears for electricity they have sold on to customers, according to the outlet.
“The one area that remains an albatross is the distribution side,” he was quoted by media as saying.
Local distribution equipment is prone to breakdowns due to the insufficient maintenance provided by financially-distressed municipalities, Ramokgopa added, saying that illegal connections also overload the system.
Nevertheless, in early July, the minister assured that South Africa could overcome the power crisis and considerably reduce the intensity of the rolling blackouts earlier than expected due to a significant improvement in generation.
In June, Eskom Executive Eric Shunmagum highlighted a 3,000-megawatt improvement program.
Likewise, during the BRICS Summit of August 22-24, South Africa signed a pact with China's largest grid operator on renewable energy cooperation, the media said.
“They’ve worked out the kind of transmission modernization that’s required to be able to accommodate the intermittency of renewable energy sources,” Ramokgopa said.
Another part of the agreement concerned the donation to South Africa of about 450 mostly gasoline and diesel generators and some solar and battery units for use in public facilities, the media reported.
In addition, on August 16, Russia and South Africa discussed a joint project for the construction of a gas power plant and supplies of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) for new generating capacities to the African country.