South Africa national power utility Eskom has started rolling power cuts in major South African cities, after an incident on the 3,600 MW Mabuja coal-fired power plant affecting the supply of five of the six 600 MW units and reducing the available power generation capacity by 3,000 MW. Power cuts are affecting Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town but are expected to be shortest than in 2008.
South Africa is facing a soaring electricity demand (+15% between 2000 and 2007 when it peaked at 219 TWh) and is struggling to adapt its power infrastructure, dependent on polluting coal-fired power plants and obsolescent power grid. Between 2000 and 2008, only 1,800 MW were added; installations accelerated until 2013 (48 GW installed, i.e. 4.9 GW added since 2008). Despite rising electricity tariffs (they have tripled since 2008), Eskom remains unable to generate profit and to invest in power infrastructure. South Africa's power utility plans to develop its nuclear fleet and to invest in renewables (solar and wind) and shale gas.
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