Sign coal deals or the lights go off, warns Eskom's Ngubane
'We have a problem because Treasury has not yet signed our coal purchase agreements and we are in winter‚ and the winter is getting bitter'
South Africa was warned on Tuesday of winter power cuts unless the National Treasury urgently signs purchase agreements so Eskom can build up its coal reserves. Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane said there had been no planned power cuts over the past two winters because “we had sufficient coal brought in and built up the stocks to more than a million tons”. But he added: “Now we have a problem because Treasury has not yet signed our coal purchase agreements and we are in winter‚ and the winter is getting bitter. People are using electricity like crazy ... We need to have enough stock of coal in view of that.” Ngubane was speaking on the sidelines of the African Utility Week conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre‚ where he delivered the opening address. He gave credit for the uninterrupted electricity supply to newly reinstated Eskom CEO Brian Molefe‚ who on his second day back in the hot seat skipped the event due to other “urgent matters”. Said Ngubane: “I’m proud tha...
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