Light up SA with private power

As the country sits sunk in load shedding and contemplates the reality that the worst is yet to come later this year, it is comforting that independent power producers (IPPs) are pushing to be allowed to sell power direct to customers. Greenstone Energy has applied to energy regulator Nersa for permission to distribute the electricity it generates from its gas-fired power station in Linbro Park, Johannesburg, to 18 properties managed by the Adamjee Property Company.

People in those properties – which include schools, churches and a hotel and conference centre – have been, like the rest of us, subjected to brutal load shedding over the past year.

And clearly, not only have they had enough, but they have a feasible way to go off Eskom’s grid completely.

Eskom is fighting the proposal tooth and nail … which is ironic, given that IPPs are part of its future plan to give the grid security (and some are already contributing to help stave off complete collapse).

This is effectively privatisation, which will also be fought by the unions and the ANC.

Given that, as a parastatal, Eskom was looted almost to death, bringing in private sector electricity suppliers will, at last, give us light at the end of this nightmare tunnel.