Load shedding warning - Still a long way to go!

Energy expert Chris Yelland warned not to be over-optimistic about Eskom’s power generation outlook and the end of load-shedding.

Yelland cautioned against being over-optimistic and listening to politicians’ promises during an election cycle. “We need to be cautious and conservative in our expectations,” he said.

“If people are not conservative, we raise expectations which will not be met, which leads to criticism and a loss of credibility,” he said.

He added that it is almost impossible to predict the load-shedding expectations because of the unreliability of Eskom’s generation fleet.

“What we know is that the units are breaking down left, right, and centre and that they are being returned to service left, right, and centre,” he said.

“The situation is very fluid, and I don’t think it is wise for anybody, including the electricity minister, to make predictions.”