‘Rogue’ power firm threatens fastest renewable expansion
Opposition from state power utility Eskom and government infighting threaten to sabotage the world’s fastest-growing green energy programme. Eskom is stalling on signing government-brokered deals to buy renewable energy from private producers, encouraged to develop capacity after outages over the past eight years. With the economy in the doldrums, the state utility says it no longer requires additional green power, arguing it is not always available during peak demand periods and will push up prices for South African consumers. Eskom’s reticence over renewables contrasts with its enthusiasm to find bidders for nuclear plants, even after the Energy Ministry in November proposed delaying new atomic reactors by 14 years. That contradiction reflects the schism at the heart of the government, where President Jacob Zuma’s championing of nuclear power puts him at loggerheads with his Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who has questioned its affordability. "There are strong political overtone...
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