Eskom’s entire fleet has a capacity of ± 45 000 MW.

In the latest financial year, its generation units tripped a record 697 times

The energy availability factor (EAF) of the coal fleet had sunk to 55.5%, meaning almost half of it, on average, was unable to dispatch energy at any one time.

South Africa needs to add, equal to replacing its entire fleet, of additional generation capacity to the national transmission grid over the next 13 years to cover the energy supply gap and replace retiring coal stations.

The average age of Eskom’s coal-fired power plants, excluding the newly built, though problematic Medupi and Kusile facilities, is 42 years. It will cost the utility more than 300bn rands ($20bn) to make its ageing power plants compliant with minimum emissions standards.