SA waits while Eskom diesel stands in line for offload
Fuel was expected to be available on Monday but was not
The diesel needed to fire up Eskom's open-cycle gas turbines was aboard a ship in Mossel Bay harbour queuing to offload when the turbines ran out of fuel on Monday. The diesel-fired turbines are essential to close the power gap and avoid or minimise load-shedding. The diesel shortage forced the country into stage-four load shedding of 4,000MW on Monday, the largest load Eskom has had to drop to keep the grid stable. Eskom said on Thursday that Petrosa, owner of the tanks into which the diesel is pumped, had given an assurance that the diesel would be available on Monday. But on Monday it was still queuing in the harbour as another ship offloaded petroleum into the Petrosa tank. Andrew Etzinger, Eskom’s acting head of generation, said that while diesel had run extremely low on Monday and Tuesday, diesel supplies had now been fully replenished. “We are now in good shape with diesel which, once it is offloaded, is pumped into the pipeline, which happens very quickly,” he said. Petrosa ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.