Browsing: Load-shedding

• The energy crisis in South Africa has significantly impacted the nation’s economic growth, potentially reducing it by up to 3.2 percentage points in 2022.
• President Cyril Ramaphosa declares that the end of load shedding in South Africa is “finally within reach.”
• This president’s assertion is a ray of hope for millions of citizens who have endured the disruptive effects of load shedding for far too long.

South Africa has long grappled with the scourge of load shedding, a term that has become synonymous with power cuts and energy instability.

However, this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa during his 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA) sparked optimism across the continent’s most advanced economy, suggesting that an end to frequent load shedding may finally be within reach.

President Ramaphosa’s Optimistic Proclamation

During his SONA in Cape Town, President Ramaphosa expressed confidence that South Africa is on the brink of overcoming its …

• Energy experts project that South Africa requires injection of no less than 6,000MW to keep industry lights on.
• The country’s severe power crisis is expected to persist until 2025. Experts say a five-year timeline is needed to overcome power outages.
• This year’s GDP will further decline to 1.2% from 2.3% in 2022, and there is a 45% chance of recession largely due to electricity crisis.

An ominous cloud hangs over South Africa economy, which dodged recession in the three months to March, as experts say the roiling electricity crisis will persist until 2025. As if that is not enough bad news to the industry, it will take about five years to eliminate power outages in the country.

Currently, South Africa is paying a huge price following utility, Eskom’s overreliance on ailing coal power plants to supply electricity. These coal power plants account for over three quarters of South Africa’s electricity …

• Zimbabwe is experiencing crippling power outages characterized by black-outs that can extend to as much as 19 hours a day.
• The electricity shortage is now common place with South Africa recently announcing Stage 6 power cuts.
• The debt capital markets, specifically the issuance of green bonds is a possible solution to rolling black-outs.

Zimbabwe is in the middle of a power crisis that can be attributed to the low water levels at the country’s Kariba Dam which has in times past been used to supplement the country’s power needs. Power outages are a part of every day living in the country.

However, the latest power crisis seems to be more intense threatening to scupper economic growth. Businesses and citizens have had to adjust to erratic power supply schedules. It is now commonplace for people to wake up at midnight to iron their clothes and use their electric appliances as this …

Zimbabwe has been experiencing intermittent power generation shortfalls due to an ageing plant at its Kariba hydropower station and the main coal-driven power generators at Hwange.

According to Crisis 24, Zimbabwe will likely remain susceptible to rounds of load shedding through 2022 and possibly beyond if additional power production capacity is not made available. In mid-June, a circular from Meikles Hotel in Zimbabwe said that they have been operating on generator power for about a week and were now offering guests buckets of hot water to bath with. This is also one of the effects of the increased power cuts evident, although it is a few months apart.

Crisis 24 added that temporary commercial and communications disruptions are possible while load shedding and unscheduled disruptions are taking place; cellular and mobile services could be affected. Traffic disruptions and longer driving times are possible during these periods due to malfunctioning traffic …

South Africa, Africa’s second-largest economy is still experiencing power cuts off as the national power utility stated today on Thursday that, nation-wide power cuts across South Africa of up to 4,000 megawatts will last throughout the weekend and power kicking back on Sunday

According to information from a South African financial publication Moneyweb, the power cuts are due to the wait of regulatory approval to reconnect a unit at a nuclear power station in Cape Town (Koeberg).

Eskom, which produces more than 90 per cent of the electricity in Africa‘s most industrialized economy, ramped up power cuts to 4 000 MW on Tuesday after a fault with a pump at Koeberg, the country’s only nuclear station.

“Due to a shortage of generation capacity resulting from unplanned breakdowns, Eskom will continue implementing Stage 4 load-shedding until further notice. We expect that load-shedding, at various stages, may continue into the weekend,” Eskom …