Stuart Theobald got one thing right in his praise of renewable energy and attack on nuclear (Eskom must be split to stop monopoly’s bid to switch off independent producers, October 31). He is right to ask for the electricity grid to be taken from Eskom and given to an independent operator, which would buy electricity from anyone at the best market prices. However, if that happened, there would be no wind or solar electricity on the grid at all because they are far too expensive and unreliable. They can only operate under coercion with huge state-enforced subsidies, which is exactly what is happening under our renewable energy programme (the REIPPPP). So far, Eskom has been forced to buy REIPPPP electricity at more than double its own costs of generation. This pushes up the price of electricity for consumers. But it is much worse than this. When a wind advocate tells you that in future, the price of wind electricity will only be 70c/kWh, he is misleading you. Because wind is so hopel...
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