Energy – 19 February 2024

ENERGY

• Eskom. Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said Eskom struggles to recruit skilled employees since working at the utility has lost its prestige. Ramokgopa told eNCA that there is a stigma that everyone who works at Eskom is corrupt or incompetent, making it less prestigious to be associated with the company. This is a problem because Eskom has lost many skilled engineers and technicians over the past few years – people needed to combat load-shedding. Ramokgopa added that South Africans will see significant changes in Eskom’s leadership. “The incoming CEO, the head of generation, the head of transmission, the head of distribution, all of them, are exceptionally qualified black individuals who appreciate the resolution of this problem,” he said. With Eskom’s ageing coal-powered fleet slowly being decommissioned, people are losing their jobs, and more jobs will be lost. Eskom closed the dilapidated Komati plant last year and will close another 5 of its 14 remaining coal-fired plants by 2030. Eskom has not paid out performance bonuses since 2017, and it is not clear where the money to pay bonuses will come from. Ramokgopa said he had asked Eskom’s management and board to re-introduce performance incentives for employees at power stations based on the station’s performance. (Source)