Controversial load-shedding solution - switch off old underperforming power plants now

[Jan]

Eskom must switch off these 5 power stations — or South Africa will be switched off

Shutting down old power stations, and not building new ones, is energy analyst Mike Rossouw's controversial solution to load-shedding.

 

[borro]

 

[G.A.S]

...using the money on the remaining ten coal power stations would help bring their energy availability factor (EAF) to over 80%.

That seems optimistic...

Shutting down five of Eskom’s old and dilapidated coal-fired power stations can solve South Africa’s electricity crisis without having to bring any new generation online

Rossouw said Eskom would not be able to correct its operational problems and rid the country of load-shedding unless it disposed of the Arnot, Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, and Komati power stations.

Is it just me, or is there supposed to be a difference between "shutting down" and "disposed"?

 

[Herr der Verboten]

View attachment 1209166

As an expert professor and analyst I approve your solution. You may also use my statement.

 

[porchrat]

It's an interesting idea. Cut off the older power stations like a gangrenous limb and focus all those freed up resources on maximising reliability and efficiency at other plants.

We all know the total theoretical maximum generating capacity of Eskom is well beyond the needs of the country.

That's assuming it all goes towards where it's supposed to and not brooms for R200k.

 

[ToxicBunny]

It's an interesting idea. Cut off the older power stations like a gangrenous limb and focus all those freed up resources on maximising reliability and efficiency at other plants.

We all know the total theoretical maximum generating capacity of Eskom is well beyond the needs of the country.

That's assuming it all goes towards where it's supposed to and not brooms for R200k.

It is definitely a very interesting idea, but it obviously doesn't factor in the sabotage angle that impacts our EAF.

I would rather have those 4 plants generating some power at an EAF of 60%, than relying on fewer plants. Purely a risk management approach given that we have people who are willing to sabotage a power station.

 

[Swa]

But they still generate 4GW on average. It's all fine and well if we know the reliability of the other stations will improve by as much but we don't have that guarantee. Eskom is relying on any extra capacity it can get to keep up with the maintenance and repairs of the others.

 

[dualmeister]

Switch off old underperforming ESKOM employees

 

[porchrat]

It is definitely a very interesting idea, but it obviously doesn't factor in the sabotage angle that impacts our EAF.

I would rather have those 4 plants generating some power at an EAF of 60%, than relying on fewer plants. Purely a risk management approach given that we have people who are willing to sabotage a power station.

This is a great point. I had forgotten about the sabotage element. Truth be told I probably willed it out of mind as it just infuriates me.

You're right. It's probably safer to not have all the eggs in one basket.

 

[RudderVator]

Switch off old underperforming ESKOM employees

VIVA! The only problem is most are not that old. Clearly, the old ones did a better job but they are probably dead now.

I find it interesting the idea posed. 13% of your capacity comes from equipment sucking up all your resources...

 

[duckgray]

Switch off old underperforming ESKOM employees

Include the new ones in that statement too please.

 

[ToxicBunny]

This is a great point. I had forgotten about the sabotage element. Truth be told I probably willed it out of mind as it just infuriates me.

You're right. It's probably safer to not have all the eggs in one basket.

It infuriates the hell out of me that we have people willing to plung 60m+ people into absolute fscking chaos for some political or economic gain on their behalf.

Those kind of people really do not deserve to be part of our country, and given the depth of their "evil" they actually forfeit any rights in my opinion.

 

[R13...]

It's an interesting idea. Cut off the older power stations like a gangrenous limb and focus all those freed up resources on maximising reliability and efficiency at other plants.

We all know the total theoretical maximum generating capacity of Eskom is well beyond the needs of the country.

That's assuming it all goes towards where it's supposed to and not brooms for R200k.

Makes sense actually. You get rid of the worst and use the operational cost savings to renew the salvageable ones. It will not happening because it would come with job losses, which the ANC can't not countenance that. Their union allies would eat them alive. So, they'd rather slowly drown the rest of us and the economy to save a few jobs in the relative short term. The solution would actually result in economic growth and more jobs but everyone wants a job-for-life-no-productivity-accountability government type job.

 

[porchrat]

Makes sense actually. You get rid of the worst and use the operational cost savings to renew the salvageable ones. It will not happening because it would come with job losses, which the ANC can't not countenance that. Their union allies would eat them alive. So, they'd rather slowly drown the rest of us and the economy to save a few jobs in the relative short term. The solution would actually result in economic growth and more jobs but everyone wants a job-for-life-no-productivity-accountability government type job.

I doubt it would cost many jobs, if any, they're talking about moving the resources off of those power stations and onto others.

Maybe some coal miners lose jobs as their mine no longer has a power station next to it...

 

[Lupus]

Considering these were pretty much the 5 they took out of mothballing in around 2009 to keep us going till Kusile and Medupi are finished... I mean they were only supposed to run an additional 5 years, but well you know.

 

[zoozi]

Include the new ones in that statement too please.

"On average, these power stations are over 53 years old. Komati is now 60 years old, Camden is 54, Grootvlei is 52, Hendrina is 51, and Arnot is 50."
They can't even get the toddlers medupi and kusile to run without blowing up a unit every second day. Vast, well-run infrastructure gives me a hard-on. So sad the powerhouse that Eskom used to be hey... what a thing of pride used to be. Now just a few limpdick candles, propped up by twigs, getting blown out by the stamping feet in the sand of the cavemen standing round oogling the flame.

 

[neoprema]

"We cannot steal any more money from maintenance on these old power stations. They must go!"

 

[Lupus]

"On average, these power stations are over 53 years old. Komati is now 60 years old, Camden is 54, Grootvlei is 52, Hendrina is 51, and Arnot is 50."
They can't even get the toddlers medupi and kusile to run without blowing up a unit every second day. Vast, well-run infrastructure gives me a hard-on. So sad the powerhouse that Eskom used to be hey... what a thing of pride used to be. Now just a few limpdick candles, propped up by twigs, getting blown out by the stamping feet in the sand of the cavemen standing round oogling the flame.

After the De Villiers Commision perhaps, but in the 80s they also had an EAF of 72%, only around 1987 did they actually start to improve dramatically, their best periods were in the 90s till 2008

 

[RedViking]

No it won't.

Because still the same corrupt, incompetent thugs running the show.

 

[RedViking]

Switch off old underperforming ESKOM employees

Now this might make a huge difference.