Gwede Mantashe: SA to ramp up energy supply at Eskom with IPPs

As the country continues to struggle under continued power cuts, Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said they were ramping up the energy supply at Eskom to cushion the country from more severe power cuts.

Mantashe has signed three preferred bidders of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under the fifth bid window of the renewable energy procurement programme.

The minister said the state-owned utility would add new transformers at already existing power stations instead of building new power plants.

He said the IPPs would be adding more supply to the grid within the next 18 months.

Mantashe also said maintaining infrastructure was important.

“Part of the solution is to optimize the operation of Eskom, please serve and maintain the units that are not giving us energy and within that, if we can invest in skills and resources we will see a difference shortfall in energy.”