ISIKHULU esiphezulu se-Eskom, uMnuz Andre de Ruyter, sijabule ukuthi iNational Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) ivumile ukuthi kuthengwe ingqalasizinda ezolekelela ukuphehla u-11 813MW kagesi.
Isiphakamiso sasikade senziwe nguMnyango wokuMbiwayo naMandla ngoFebhuwari ngesikhathi uthula izinhlelo ezizoqinisekisa ukuthi kunogesi owanele kule minyaka ezayo.
“Asinawo ugesi owanele manje ngakho ukuthengwa kwengqalasizinda entsha yokuphehla ugesi kuzosilekelela ukuthi siqede inkinga yokunqamula ugesi. Kuzosiza ukuthi kube nogesi owanele ezweni,” kusho uDe Ruyter.
Uthe bazosebenzisana nomnyango nehhovisi elibhekele abaphehla ugesi ngokuzimela ukuze kufakwe omunye ugesi ezweni.
Uthe zihamba kahle izinhlelo zokwengeza u-2 000MW kagesi ozobhekelela izimo eziphuthumayo. Lo gesi uthe uyathemba ukuthi uzobe usuyingxenye kagesi osetshenziswa ezweni ngoDisemba wonyaka ozayo.
Ubuye waveza ukuthi kufanele bathole ugesi owu-3 000MW ukuze babhekane nezingqinamba zikagesi ezikhona njengamanje.
“Kubalulekile ukuthi sibe no-5 000MW kagesi ohlale ulindele izimo eziphuthumayo ukuze singaphoqeleki ukuwunqamula. Lokhu kubaluleke kakhulu ngoba sizama ukusimamisa umnotho ngemva kokuthikanyezwa yiCovid-19. Ukwengeza ugesi kuzosiza i-Eskom ukuthi ikwazi ukulungisa ingqalasizinda.”