Routine maintenance at Koeberg Power station was ”a necessary evil” at a time when reserve supplies were low and the risk of load shedding high, Eskom said on Tuesday.
”For five to seven years the reserve margin is going to be low. It’s an agonising decision sometimes [to do routine maintenance], but we have to take a long-term view … The alternative is unthinkable … massive load shedding …” said Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger.
Koeberg will be closed from next week until late April for routine maintenance and refuelling.
”Its just the nature of the beast and the normal operation in our grid … it is a necessary evil to do maintenance.”
Etzinger said while the power cut was planned well in advance, the general risk of load shedding remained high because South Africa has such low reserves — only 2% — at present.
Maintenance also needed to be conducted at the coal power plants. However, Eskom was trying to keep this to a minimum to reduce pressure placed on power stations once Koeberg was offline.
”It is a fine balancing act. We have to do the maintenance. We have to run very close to the bone … Load shedding becomes a consequence of not having another [alternative].”
Etzinger said Eskom was trying to do as much maintenance as possible during summer months, when electricity demand was low.
About 10% to 15% of Eskom’s capacity was on maintenance every day at present, he said.
This was why, even in summer, when electricity demand was low, load shedding needed to continue, said Etzinger. — Sapa