Professor Sampson Mamphweli of the South African National Energy Development Institute accounted for various factors that indicate that the generation system is performing well.
What could this mean for loadshedding and its potential end in South Africa?
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Professor Mamphweli commented that factors such as Eskom’s improved energy availability, fewer breakdowns, and decreased demand indicate that the generation system is performing well.
He went on to say that this means the country could see the end of loadshedding as early as October 2024.
The introduction of small-scale embedded generation and rooftop solar PV installed by households and businesses further aids in bringing about an end to loadshedding.
According to MyBroadBand, statistics have indicated that Eskom has more than 30GW of capacity available and demand is on the lower end.
As a result, Eskom is able to utilise the additional capacity to build reserves through pumped storage and other means.
Although historically, the demand for electricity is usually higher during the winter months, it is likely to increase as we move closer to summer. This is because households and businesses use air conditioners more frequently in the summer months.
‘If we go through the beginning of summer without loadshedding, we might see the end of loadshedding’ says Mamphweli optimistically.
‘I am very confident that by November / December, the government should be declaring the end of loadshedding in South Africa,’ he says.
Despite these idealistic claims, Kuben Naidoo, the former Reserve Bank deputy governor, claimed that South Africa’s mining sector has been under immense hardship, and ramping up production within this sector could make loadshedding the norm once again.
The mining sector’s recession has kept the country loadshedding-free, according to Naidoo.
He continues by stating that if the mining sector is once more ‘turned on,’ loadshedding is likely to return.
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