Eskom’s debt service costs have doubled in just a single year to R45-billion, Business Day reported this week – highlighting the perilous state of the power utility, which supplies about 90% of SA’s energy needs.
Eskom has applied to the National Energy Regulator of SA for an electricity tariff hike of 15% per year for the next three years.
Earlier this month, the company said 10 out of 15 coal-fired power stations were experiencing supply shortages. Its coal stockpiles now also face the added risk of getting wet from summer rains.
Stage one rotational loadshedding was also implemented on November 18.