Too much solar could collapse the grid — Ramokgopa

During an Eskom media briefing, South Africa’s Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, cautioned against adding too much solar generation capacity to the grid too quickly, as it could potentially cause the grid to collapse.  

Ramokgopa drew attention to the risks he became aware of during his visit to Vietnam, where grid collapses can occur if the alternating current frequency fluctuates significantly. Such collapses could result in extended blackouts for up to two weeks.  

Despite the warning, Ramokgopa praised businesses and households in major South African cities for adopting solar panels as part of the incentives provided. The briefing also highlighted two victories for Eskom, including the extension of the exemption for the Kusile power station from Minimum Emission Standards, which will allow the return of three units to service, adding 2,400MW of capacity.  

Additionally, a three-year wage agreement was reached with unions associated with Eskom, providing a salary increase and stability for the organization’s operations. 

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