I-Eskom yamemezela ngomhlaka-4 Agasti 2026 ukuthi igcine isikhathi sezinsuku ezingu-441 zilandelana ngaphandle kokunciphisa ugesi, yathi lesi sinyathelo sibangelwe ukuthembeka kokusebenza okuthuthukisiwe, umkhiqizo wokukhiqiza ophezulu kakhulu, kanye nokuqaliswa okuphumelelayo koHlelo lwayo Lokubuyisela Ugesi, ngokusho kwesitatimende esisemthethweni.

Ukuthuthukiswa Kokusebenza kanye Nokuncishiswa Kokungasebenzi

I-Eskom's Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ikhuphuke yafika ku-66.97% kulo nyaka wezimali wamanje, ikhuphuke ngo-7.28% uma kuqhathaniswa nesikhathi esifanayo ngonyaka odlule, ngokusho kwedatha yamanje ye-Eskom. Ngomhlaka-26 Julayi, inkampani yaqopha i-EAF yansuku zonke engu-82.04%, okuyisilinganiso esiphezulu kakhulu kusukela ngo-2017, okubonisa inqubekela phambili ekubuyiseleni amandla okukhiqiza azinzile.

Izibalo ezivela ku-Eskom zibonisa ukuthi ukungasebenzi kahle okuhleliwe kwesonto eliphela ngomhlaka-30 Julayi kwehle kwaya ku-5,553MW kusuka ku-10,641MW okuqoshwe ngesonto elifanayo ngo-2025. Lokhu kwehla kube yisihluthulelo sokulondoloza ukuphakelwa ngesikhathi sokufunwa okukhulu. Ukusetshenziswa kukadizili konyaka wezimali kuze kube manje kufinyelele ku-R807.41 million, okumele ukwehla okungu-85.67% uma kuqhathaniswa nesikhathi esifanayo ngonyaka odlule njengoba ukuthembela kuma-turbine egesi abizayo avulekile kwehla.

Ingemuva kanye Nempendulo Yamasu

Uhlelo Lokuvuselela Ugesi, olwethulwa eminyakeni emithathu edlule, lusekele ukuguquka kwe-Eskom ngemuva kweminyaka eyishumi ephawulwe ukuncipha komthwalo okuvamile nokuphazamisayo. Lolu hlelo lubeke phambili ukuvuselelwa kobuchwepheshe, imijikelezo yokulungisa eqondiwe, kanye nokubambisana okunesu ukubhekana namaphutha esistimu. USihlalo weBhodi uMteto Nyati uthe, “Lesi sikhathi sesiyiminyaka emithathu selokhu kwaqalwa uhlelo lokuvuselela ugesi. Abasebenzi be-Eskom baphinde baletha besebenzisa ikhono labo elijulile lobuchwepheshe kanye nelezikhungo elakhiwe eminyakeni eminingi yokutshalwa kwezimali komphakathi okusalokhu kuyingxenye ebalulekile yamandla ethu kazwelonke, manje azogxila kakhulu ekuletheni imithombo yamandla ehlanzekile.”

Isikhulu Esiphezulu Seqembu uDan Marokane uphinde wabonga abasebenzi kanye nabalingani be-Eskom, ethi, “Ukulethwa kwalesi sinyathelo kukhombisa futhi ukuthi intuthuko yangempela ye-Eskom isekelwe kobuchwepheshe babantu bayo abangu-40,000, Abakhiqizi Bemishini Yasekuqaleni (OEMs) kanye nabanye abalingani,” ngesikhathi sengqungquthela yabezindaba ephawula isikhathi sonyaka owodwa sokungabi nomthwalo. Ngokusho kwe-Eskom, Uhlelo Lokunciphisa Umthwalo lususe amakhasimende angaba yizigidi ezingu-1.196 ezinhlelweni zokunciphisa umthwalo, okusiza ekuqiniseni ukuphakelwa komphakathi ezweni lonke.

I-Eskom iphinde yaqinisekisa ukuzibophezela kwayo ekuvuseleleni ukusebenza kanye nokuthembeka kwegridi, iphawula ukuthi, “Ukuvuselelwa kokusebenza kwe-Eskom kuyaqhubeka nokuletha imiphumela ebonakalayo, njengoba uhlelo lwamandla luhlala luzinzile futhi luhlinzekwa ngokwanele njengoba isidingo sasebusika sikhula,” esitatimendeni esisemthethweni samuva nje.

Uhlelo Lokuvuselela Ukukhiqiza lwe-Eskom luyaqhubeka nokusebenza, kanti kulindeleke ukuthi umphakathi uqhubeke nokuhlola ukusebenza kwesikhathi esizayo, ukuzinza kwegridi, kanye nokuhlanganiswa okuthembisiwe kwemithombo yamandla avuselelekayo.