Photo by: Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Eskom’s new CEO Andre de Ruyter, pictured, has taken the unpopular decision to back a plan to shift away from the ‘keep the lights on’ strategy that has defined the operational stance at the State-owned utility for over ten years to one that prioritises so-called ‘philosophy maintenance’. From now on, the coal plant will be maintained as per the service-book instructions provided by the equipment suppliers. The decision will increase the risk of load-shedding for the next 18 months at least, but should restore some stability across the coal fleet, which has become wildly unreliable. Photograph: Creamer Media’s Chief Photographer Donna Slater