ELECTRICITY Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is searching for additional megawatts in the Eastern Cape to end load shedding.
The minister is in Nelson Mandela Bay for two days and kicked off his series of engagements at Dedisa Peaking Power Station on Tuesday, 2 April.
Ramokgopa told the media during his walkabout at Dedisa that the energy sector in Mzansi is facing significant challenges, including supply constraints, aging infrastructure and the imperative to transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
"These challenges have wide-ranging implications for businesses, households and the economy at large. We are here to search for additional megawatts to ensure we put load shedding behind us. I'm confident with the discussions we had in implementing interventions to address these challenges and to ensure a reliable and sustainable energy supply for the nation," he said.
"Our outreach engagement in the Eastern Cape seeks to identify areas of collaboration and partnership between the ministry and businesses to drive innovation and sustainable solutions to minimise the impact of load shedding and facilitate investments and growth in the energy sector."
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Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Gary van Niekerk said: "We are excited about the minister's visit as it will address our electricity problem because we buy more than what we sell. This is caused by people who are connecting illegally. We've been requesting this visit for a long time. The minister informed us about our challenges, especially when it comes to our main economic drivers, which are our car manufacturers."
Dedisa Power Station is a 335 MW greenfield open cycle gas turbine power plant. It has been operational since July 2016 as an energy-generating facility playing an important part in helping to improve the electricity supply in Mzansi, while stimulating long-term economic development in its surrounding areas.
