South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has celebrated a significant milestone in the country’s energy sector while emphasising the need for continued efforts to address both energy security and climate change.
Ramaphosa announced that South Africa had gone 100 days without load shedding, the longest such period since 2020, saying it forms part of the effort to ensure that our economy is resilient in the face of climate change
It comes ahead of the National Treasury is hosting a symposium this week in partnership with the Presidential Climate Commission,on financing the country’s climate actions.
The President attributed this achievement to the diligent implementation of Eskom’s Generation Operational Recovery Plan and an enhanced maintenance schedule.
“Last Friday marked 100 days since South Africa last experienced load shedding, he said in a speech.
“This is the longest continuous period without load shedding since 2020.While this is a welcome milestone, it is not a reason to relax. Our electricity system remains vulnerable and we cannot yet rule out a possibility of further load shedding.”
The President highlighted recent progress, including the commissioning of Unit 5 at the Kusile power station, which added 800 MW to the national grid. He also noted positive economic impacts, such as increased consumer confidence and ArcelorMittal’s decision to keep its Newcastle and Vereeniging operations open.
Ramaphosa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to structural reforms in the energy sector, including the removal of licensing thresholds for new power generation projects and the recent commencement of trading by the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTSA).
.As the country celebrates its progress in combating load shedding, it is simultaneously preparing to tackle the financial aspects of climate action.
Ramaphosa called for continued collaboration between all stakeholders, stating, “We have reached 100 days without load shedding by working together. This should encourage us to redouble our efforts and to strengthen the collaboration between all stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.”
As South Africa moves forward with its energy and climate initiatives, the government’s approach appears to balance short-term energy security with long-term environmental sustainability, setting the stage for potentially significant economic and environmental developments in the coming months.
