power cuts
How load-shedding is Aggreko’s opportunity
The global interim-power provider sees an opportunity as SA plunges into darkness again
SA was plunged again into darkness from Monday when Eskom had six power generating units fail. The power utility announced stage-four load-shedding, meaning 400MW of demand had to be cut to keep the national grid from collapse. Load-shedding takes place when demand exceeds supply. On Tuesday, Eskom moved to stage three as it needed to cut 3,000MW from the grid. Business and residents are reeling from power cuts, but they offer a dream business opportunity for a company such as Aggreko, the world’s largest interim-power provider. “Unfortunately when things go wrong, that is where we fit in,” says John Lewis, MD of the Africa division of the FTSE 100 company. Plugging power gaps is Aggreko’s forte. It could be for major world-class events such as the Olympics providing power to companies in a pinch or even helping governments struggling to overcome long-term power infrastructure needs. The temporary solutions side of the business is generally short-term. For example, in 2010 the compa...
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