Energy Council CEO optimistic load-shedding will ease later in 2023

Energy Council of SA CEO James Mackay says citizens can look forward to a “significant improvement in the load-shedding outlook” from later this year as plans and programmes put in place to mitigate it come to fruition.

Mackay was speaking at the Gauteng energy indaba, which saw government, business and civil society converge to find solutions to the crisis affecting the province.

His speech focused on the private sector’s response to the crisis and how collaboration with Gauteng and its municipalities can be bolstered. He also spoke of the critical role Eskom played despite myriad challenges plaguing the ailing utility.

“From being awarded ... in 2001, they’ve had 13 CEOs in about 13 years. They were technically insolvent for just over five years and they’ve also had to carry the cost of the transition reform. So I think we need to recognise what Eskom has been through and despite that, Eskom, I think, still holds some of our best technical expertise and are doing phenomenal work around system designs.”

Mackay also stressed the importance of rebuilding a “well-functioning” and “restructured” Eskom, especially with the transition to renewable energy.

The crisis had created a multitude of opportunities, including the chance for collaboration between business and government, investment in energy projects and the “acceleration” of the just transition, he said.

“The banking sector is extremely busy and there’s a healthy extension of credit as businesses and industry are investing in renewable technologies,” he said.

“One of the things we must [however] say about as we implement and go through this transition, we have to focus on industrialisation potential and job creation. If we don’t go through that, it will be the most unjust transition.

“I’m confident 2023 is our crunch year for load-shedding. Structurally, we are going to be on a stage 4-6 outlook for the rest of the year, but from the end of this year, going into next year, there is a significant amount of technical plans and programmes that are going to start coming online and we’ll see a significant improvement in the load-shedding outlook as we move towards the end of this year.

“But this year, unfortunately, we’ll still be crunching, and I think we saw that in July.”

The indaba also heard speakers from the SA Local Government Association and SA National Civic Organisation’s (Sanco) Gauteng branches, who spoke about the severe impact of load-shedding on municipalities and ordinary citizens.

Sanco provincial secretary Mpho Sesedinyane likened it to an “abusive boyfriend, if not husband”, who needed to be “attended to without fear or favour”.

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