in South Africa’

The blackstart facilities are generating units that can operate independently of the grid and are used to fire up power stations and gradually restore them to service.

Due to its sheer size, Eskom cannot be assisted by our regional neighbours and that is why a blackstart could take two weeks.

Given the energy crisis affecting all South Africans, we all have a role to play in reducing demand to protect our grid.

All South Africans can reduce demand, especially during peak periods between 5pm and 9pm, by switching off unnecessary lights, as well as geysers and so on.

If every South African were to switch off their geyser during the peak period, Eskom could save 4 000MW.

A system gaining popularity is ripple control, which is a common form of load control used worldwide that controls signals to the receivers’ units. This would enable your municipality or Eskom to switch off your geyser or any other large appliance during the evening peak to reduce demand or to prevent an outage or load shedding. The systems have been around since the 1970s. Many municipalities ran programmes to install them in the early years of load shedding.

FINALLY, the biggest enabler of a stable grid and that also increases generating capacity is flexible and dispatchable technology, such as gas.

Gas power, with its 30 seconds dispatchable nature, is the perfect counter for possible grid collapse. The Risk Mitigation IPP Programme (RMIPPP) was designed for this exact purpose to give the system operator 2 000MW of additional flexibility when operating a system with increasing renewable energyinduced intermittency, as well as an increasing “duck curve” (the generation pattern reflecting the time of day that the sun shines and wind blows) because of the added complexity of embedded renewable energy.

The RMIPPP focused on gas, as well as battery storage solutions, with the latter being the most expensive option. The gas power projects, including the 1 220MW of Karpowership projects and the 350MW of gas power integrated with hybrid renewable energy projects, will add urgently needed capacity for at least one stage of load shedding and assist the system operator in countering the increasing volatility of the grid.

The minister of electricity announced recently that it would take three to four months after giving Karpowership the go-ahead for it to deliver electricity into the grid.

A national blackout in South Africa is nearly impossible. The system operator has, on numerous occasions, reiterated the need for flexible and dispatchable technologies in reducing the strain on the grid but has also reiterated the importance of Eskom needing enough time to execute a wellrun reliability maintenance to increase generating capacity in the short to medium term and avoid unplanned generator breakdowns. Facts considered, these are the most immediately available and feasible levers available to Eskom in the short term to reduce or even eliminate load shedding in the next two years.

LUNGILE MASHELE is an energy economist and a member of the Black Power Group, a group of South African energy professionals, practitioners, specialists, investors and advisers who have come together to share knowledge and contribute to the energy security of South Africa in a manner that is transformative and leaves no one behind. It also provides a space for frank engagements that respect divergent views, in pursuit of creating a better South Africa.

It was recently announced that it would take three to four months after giving Karpowership the go-ahead for it to deliver electricity to the grid.