South Africa’s Eskom eyes new power stations

11.25.2011

South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom wants to greatly expand its grid beyond its borders, bringing energy security to fast emerging southern Africa by building lines and plants and tapping the region’s vast green energy sources. But first, it must take care of problems at home that include building new power stations for Africa’s largest economy and reducing its carbon footprint by ending an almost exclusive reliance on coal, its CEO Brian Dames said on Friday. Together with the region’s other utilities Eskom hopes to prioritize five projects, both in transmission and generation. South Africa is abundant in coal reserves, now supplying some 85 percent of its power, but lacks sufficient wind, gas and hydro to provide alternatives on a large enough scale.