Eskom: Grid Improving, But Please Use Electricity Sparingly

Eskom has pleaded with South Africans to use electricity sparingly, despite the improved performance of the national grid.

The power utility said it had managed to bring down the number of days South Africans could experience load shedding this winter to three days.

This, it said, was due to short-term maintenance that was carried out during the lockdown when demand decreased.

Eskom’s chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer said: “Specifically what the three days of load shedding are based on is on a residual peak in July of 32,544 forecast.”

The company was also hard-pressed to emphasise that it may still experience breakdowns and other disruptions which could lead to load shedding due to its legacy infrastructure challenges.

CUTTING COSTS

Eskom said 184 senior executives took up its voluntary severance package offers as it pursues its plan to cut its headcount costs.

The power utility is overstaffed when compared to other operations its size elsewhere in the world

There have been pressures over the past few years to slash it while unions are opposed to suggestions of retrenchments.

Although Eskom still employs over 40,000 people, it appears its natural attrition plan is gaining some momentum.

CEO Andre de Ruyter said: “We have exited some 184 senior executives from the organisation through a voluntary severance programme. So, that has been a success in reducing our wage bill and we think that this is a positive and constructive way which we can address headcount in a positive way that does not create conflict.”

EWN