Johannesburg – While the country battles through the latest bout of frustrating loadshedding, City Power said its priority was to ensure that Joburg residents had access to clean and sustainable energy.
Just hours after Eskom announced that the country would be saddled with Stage 2 blackouts until at least Saturday, the city launched a new energy plan on Monday.
According to City Power, it currently receives 90% of its electricity from Eskom and 10% from the Kelvin power station – an independent power producer.
City of Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Moerane has assured residents of organising a sustainable energy mix plan.
The mayor reiterated that the strategy being unveiled was not an overnight stand-alone initiative but a long-term plan aligned with the Joburg growth and development strategy.
“We believe that the new capacity, including the 220 megawatts for the new Kelvin power agreement, is much needed as it comes at a time when the city is exploring the takeover of Eskom supply areas in Johannesburg, Sandton and Soweto. It’s a 15-year strategy that will see City Power transitioning from an electricity distribution company to an energy service provider,” City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said.
He added that the new strategy would see an extra 500MW capacity of alternative energy added to the city using gas and solar sources.
