Electrical Energy In South Africa

Introduction

Electrical energy plays critical role in the development of South Africa’s economy, historically South Africa relied primarily on coal for electricity generation, making the electricity sector one of the dominant greenhouse gas emitters(), however these nation has a huge potential to produce cleaner electricity through renewable resources. The challenge at the moment is that those sources are still very expensive and coal is still the cheapest source to produce electricity (Kinghorn, 2014)

This report will be discussing the supply of electrical energy, its demand, challenges and the future energy mix in South Africa, a conclusion will be drawn from the facts and opinions discussed on the report. ”it based on the presentation that was done by Mr AJ Kinghorn on 24 april 2014 to the fourth year mining engineering students at the university of the Witwatersrand

Energy Supply

South Africa generates over half of the electricity used on the African continent and it has three groups of electricity generators: the national public electricity utility, municipal generators and auto generators, and industries that generate electricity for their own use (UCT, 2006). Eskom which is the state owned company supply and generates 95% of the national public electricity in South Africa with the remaining percent going to the industries producing for their own use and municipalities (Ner,2001).

Electricity generation in South Africa largely is from the conventional coal power stations. The South African coal fields are found in the Mpumalanga Province, Gauteng, Limpopo and Free State. These therefore have led to power stations being built around those areas because it can be costly to transport coal over long distances. Over 92% of the...

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...a relied primarily on coal for electricity generation, making the electricity sector one of the dominant greenhouse gas emitters. Eskom which is the state owned company supply and generates 95% of the national public electricity in South Africa, Electricity generation in South Africa largely is from the conventional coal power stations and the other forms of generation comes from a nuclear power station, Gas turbines and hydroelectric power which are all owned by eskom.

The demand for electricity decreased the electricity reserve margins, industries are the highest demanders of electrical energy, coal does not only pollute the air but also water, and nonetheless it will still be used as the major source of electrical energy due to its availability and cheapness. But The Integrated Resource Plan 2010 to 2030 highlights that the dependence on coal would fall by 2030