SOUTH Africa is saving only half as much energy as it needs to if it is to avoid a new round of widespread power cuts. <\/p>\n
Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin issued this warning yesterday and said South Africa faced more electricity price shocks. <\/p>\n
“The only way to prevent continued pressure on the system over the next three, four years is energy efficiency,” Erwin told a breakfast meeting in Cape Town.<\/p>\n
Erwin said South Africa needed to cut energy consumption by 10 percent, but “currently we’re saving roughly 4 percent to 5 percent, so there’s more work to be done”.<\/p>\n
He said South Africa faced further sharp increases in the price of electricity, and ruled out large-scale state energy subsidies.<\/p>\n
“We’re going to have to increase prices again over the next three or four years,” Erwin said. He added that the basic wholesale price would have to be doubled.<\/p>\n