Are privately owned power plants the solution?

Are private power plants the solution?

  • Yes

    Votes: 232 84.4%

  • No

    Votes: 13 4.7%

  • Other

    Votes: 30 10.9%
  • Total voters
    275
People think renewables are the pancea to the power issues, forgetting they don't run all the time, unless they have storage or diversified but you'll need a lot to make up generation.
 
Lupus said:
People think renewables are the pancea to the power issues, forgetting they don't run all the time, unless they have storage or diversified but you'll need a lot to make up generation.
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Renewables are a pipe dream at this stage...but it highlights virtue signalling unfortunately and that is the current bane of our existence on this planet.
 
Other: private power plants can't possibly do worse than the current guavamint f-up, but as the Guptas so amply demonstrated just because something is private it doesn't mean the gauvamint paws haven't been greased and isn't all up in that "private" business
 
So I voted "Other" because private is the answer but not renewables. In South Africa we associate private power production to renewables, understandable because the only base load provider is Eskom. As @Lupus stated, there is absolutely no way that renewables by themselves can power this nation. You absolutely require base load. So if we allowed private nuclear power stations to be built and operated that would go a long way to solving our energy crisis. A solid mix between nuclear (which should aim to replace fossil fuel fired stations), renewables and our peaking stations (pumped storage schemes) and we would be doing just fine.
 
Nanfeishen said:
If it reduces the cost long term , yes, otherwise no.
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Doubt it honestly. As for the peak periods or the shortfalls there needs to be more expensive generators needed. If we could get the bloody OCTGs converted to CCTGs it might help a bit.
 
No. If I understand correctly our current power stations(old and new yet unfinished) should be ample enough to generate all the power we need.
From the article referenced:
“The power utility has been crippled by years of corruption and maladministration, which has led to delays in the construction of its new coal-fired power plants and a backlog in the maintenance of existing power stations.”
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So it’s a solution to a problem that shouldn’t exist. Can’t help but think the solutions will suffer at the hands of those same corrupt officials.
Sort Eskom out.
 
As soon as it is shown it will and can work the anc will want it and laws will be enforced to have black ownership and they will tax the shyte out of it to ensure eksdom is the only option.
 
Arthur said:
No, privately owned power suppliers alone are not sufficient. We also need deregulation. The State needs you get out of the business of generating, distributing and regulating power.
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The state needs to get out of all businesses, everything run by the state is dead or dying.
The states job is to provide policing, education, healthcare and supposedly a better life.
 
Other
Eventually we must move to renewables, but let's fix government first or they will interfere and muck it up.
 
Private ownership is not the panacea some people like to believe it is.

Somebody has to regulate the market. Anyone who thinks private business can just do this on their own is entirely delusional.
 
noxibox said:
Private ownership is not the panacea some people like to believe it is.

Somebody has to regulate the market. Anyone who thinks private business can just do this on their own is entirely delusional.
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Considering Sasol has 2 biggish power plants, it's a pity companies couldn't do what Sasol did, or it was done before the ANC stupid policies took over.
 
noxibox said:
Private ownership is not the panacea some people like to believe it is.

Somebody has to regulate the market. Anyone who thinks private business can just do this on their own is entirely delusional.
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You do live in South Africa no?

Do you think ICASA is doing anything "positive" by wanting to regulate courier companies such that they don't commit the vile racist act of delivering post that weighs less than 1kg?
 
C4Cat said:
Likely to make it more expensive for consumers, but more reliable
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Reliability is not guaranteed. Private businesses seek only to make a profit. If they can do that providing an unreliable service they will. And they certainly can in the case of electricity generation.
 
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