By April 2024, City Power will have fully refurbished and recommissioned the open-cycle gas turbine at the John Ware substation to provide at least 50MW of electricity to the grid in Gauteng.
The Johannesburg electricity utility plans to recommission John Ware by April and Karsene's open-cycle gas turbines over the next 12 months.
The two open-cycle gas turbines have not been functional for several years and, combined, they would provide an additional 100MW.
City Power and the Gauteng provincial government signed a memorandum of understanding to help eradicate load-shedding in the province even when Eskom ramped up load-shedding to higher stages.
This follows the announcement of a R441m investment towards the roll-out of the Gauteng Energy Plan. The province, through City Power, plans to build power generating capacity to deal with load-shedding and decrease over-reliance on Eskom.
The province will support City Power to use its interventions of decreasing load-shedding, such as load limiting and recommissioning open-cycle gas turbines.
City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava told the provincial delegates on Thursday during a site visit to the substations that the power utility is looking to roll out its interventions not only in Johannesburg but in other municipalities in Gauteng.
Delegates visited the two substations and Mashava said their assets get refurbished with the support from the province, and will be able to generate power that will go a long way for all municipalities within Gauteng.
"The intention is that when we push extra load into the grid we can engage with Eskom for a reprieve not only for the City of Johannesburg but also for the other municipalities," she said.
Gauteng Cogta MEC Mzi Khumalo said government's plan was not about electioneering, but it is because its provincial government's financial year ends in March, hence the April deadline.
He said load-shedding has been affecting communities for a long time and the fact that the province was dealing with it now did not suggest it was because of electioneering
"Even outside elections, we would be carrying this obligation of ensuring that we rip this burden off the shoulders of our communities because our communities don't care whether it is elections or not. They want electricity," he said.
He added that they procure the services of City Power based on its capabilities. "We are sure that they will be able to deliver, it is their area of specialisation, and we will be able to get the outcome out of the processes."
Mamabolo thanked the leadership of City Power for allowing them to see that allocating funds to the power utility will provide a better solution.
"You have opened your doors to us to show us the technology and capacity that you have and answer the issues of feasibility and viability of you providing the grid solutions to the whole province," he said.
TimesLIVE
Inside City Power and Gauteng government's plan to power province
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
By April 2024, City Power will have fully refurbished and recommissioned the open-cycle gas turbine at the John Ware substation to provide at least 50MW of electricity to the grid in Gauteng.
The Johannesburg electricity utility plans to recommission John Ware by April and Karsene's open-cycle gas turbines over the next 12 months.
The two open-cycle gas turbines have not been functional for several years and, combined, they would provide an additional 100MW.
City Power and the Gauteng provincial government signed a memorandum of understanding to help eradicate load-shedding in the province even when Eskom ramped up load-shedding to higher stages.
This follows the announcement of a R441m investment towards the roll-out of the Gauteng Energy Plan. The province, through City Power, plans to build power generating capacity to deal with load-shedding and decrease over-reliance on Eskom.
The province will support City Power to use its interventions of decreasing load-shedding, such as load limiting and recommissioning open-cycle gas turbines.
City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava told the provincial delegates on Thursday during a site visit to the substations that the power utility is looking to roll out its interventions not only in Johannesburg but in other municipalities in Gauteng.
Delegates visited the two substations and Mashava said their assets get refurbished with the support from the province, and will be able to generate power that will go a long way for all municipalities within Gauteng.
"The intention is that when we push extra load into the grid we can engage with Eskom for a reprieve not only for the City of Johannesburg but also for the other municipalities," she said.
Gauteng Cogta MEC Mzi Khumalo said government's plan was not about electioneering, but it is because its provincial government's financial year ends in March, hence the April deadline.
He said load-shedding has been affecting communities for a long time and the fact that the province was dealing with it now did not suggest it was because of electioneering
"Even outside elections, we would be carrying this obligation of ensuring that we rip this burden off the shoulders of our communities because our communities don't care whether it is elections or not. They want electricity," he said.
He added that they procure the services of City Power based on its capabilities. "We are sure that they will be able to deliver, it is their area of specialisation, and we will be able to get the outcome out of the processes."
Mamabolo thanked the leadership of City Power for allowing them to see that allocating funds to the power utility will provide a better solution.
"You have opened your doors to us to show us the technology and capacity that you have and answer the issues of feasibility and viability of you providing the grid solutions to the whole province," he said.
TimesLIVE
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