Eskom warns of elevated diesel use as system outlook remains precarious

State-owned electricity group Eskom is warning that its use of the country’s diesel-fuelled open cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) is set to remain elevated in the coming months as the utility seeks to avoid load-shedding in a context of rising planned maintenance and the ongoing risk of unplanned breakdowns. Eskom has already spent R5.5-billion for the year-to-date to run its own OCGT plants and a further R3-billion to purchase electricity from the private Avon and Dedisa plants, as the energy availability factor (EAF) from its coal fleet slumped to 62.9% against a target of 70%.