Reports emerging from analysts last week suggest that power parastatal, Eskom, has been less than upfront about coal supply challenges.
While Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe has reiterated that the power parastatal has plans in place to avoid load-shedding, energy analyst Chris Yelland said that the latest coal supply reports suggested that Eskom’s current coal supply problems were as serious as‚ if not worse than, those that existed in SA shortly before the load shedding of 2008.
He said coal stockpiles were low at the Arnot‚ Camden‚ Hendrina‚ Komati‚ Kriel‚ Majuba and Tutuka power stations.
Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, Natasha Mazzone, said that coal supply levels at several power stations in Mpumalanga were so dire that the utility’s energy division recommended that a coal supply emergency be declared.
This after the Gupta-owned Tegeta Exploration and Resources – which supplies seven Eskom coal-fired stations in Mpumalanga – was placed under business rescue.
Mazzone said the DA had written to the Eskom board requesting a declaratory statement on the state of the power utility’s current coal supply.
“This information must be placed on public record to reassure markets and concerned South Africans alike,” she said.
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The Arnot power station near Middelburg is one of seven coal-fired power stations facing a shortage of coal supplies.
