Eskom ... is there ANY chance? In CPT there is

[Sarel.Wagner]

Me thinks as you say Plonk, they keep on digging. The forest for the trees. It’s not their monies, it belongs to people that they don’t even like, the old enemy. Soooo…

The basic problem here is they (even COCT) must be seen to be doing something to retain some legitimacy. Nobody in government is in business, only in consuming taxes and income. So now they have to spend more than they get because of an extremely leaky system, theft etc etc.

I am not saying COCT is not interested in solving the energy problem, just that they are looking at not loosing control. Always keep in mind, if the body (Government, Council or any other business) that supply you with something, can no longer do so, they loose their control and becomes null. They can no longer control you by cutting off your energy. Erzats no control and no means of staying in power.

Most local councils use energy income to fund all sorts of projects, it’s by far the best earner amongst services. This is also therefore where the biggest losses occur, due to theft, bad contracts, destruction of infrastructure and then scamming monies from replacement contracts and services (same as Eskom summing deals) or services render to infra projects.

DonkerGroetnis

[mmaritz]

@Sarel.Wagner

PolitiekeGroetnis

@Sarel.Wagner - I’m loving these … please don’t remove the previous… just add to a list (in brackets) so we can follow/remember your “groetnis” prefix history…

[TheTerribleTriplet]

Sug/sigh …

“Someone must come and add more megawatts while Eskom continues to deal with this question that we are being asked. So when we say it’s not entirely up to Eskom, it is not entirely up to Eskom to add new megawatts.”

https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/25/it-s-not-up-to-eskom-alone-to-add-generation-capacity-to-grid-makwana

It is derailing again, that is if it ever had a chance of being “railed”, or is that railroaded …

As Sarel said …

@Sarel.Wagner

The sooner SA realises, this is not about solving the energy crises at all but how to insert Letstealy House into the money chain. CancER is bankrupt, needs to get monies to fund the election, ie use taxpayer money (a lot of taxpayers are not members) so taking that money to buy the election is far game.

That is the game…

[Phil.g00]

@TheTerribleTriplet

It's not up to Eskom alone to add generation capacity to grid - Makwana

They lifted the restrictions on private generation 24 hrs ago.
Is the ESKOM chairman now implying the blame for the last 15 years of load-shedding be shared with the private sector?

[Sarel.Wagner]

It’s actually worse than that. They could not build a functional reliable plant since they started Medupi construction in May of 2007.

Energy crisis: Another R33-billion needed to complete Medupi and Kusile

(Sarah Smit, Author at The Mail & Guardian) 29 Sep 2022

Construction on the two power stations began in 2007 and by 2019 their cost had ballooned by more than R300-billion — reaching R145-billion for Medupi and R161.4-billion for Kusile.

According to the president, Medupi has achieved commercial operation and will cost R19-billion to complete. It will cost a further R14-billion to finalise the construction of Kusile’s remaining two units. Eskom announced that Kusile unit four, out of a total six units, was completed in June.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa promised that proper procedures will be followed in the remaining construction at Medupi and Kusile, as his government will be watching out for corruption “like hawks”.

RaadopGroetnis
(PolitiekeGroetnis)
(DonkerteGroetnis)
(Groetnis)

[Sarel.Wagner]

Wait wait, I had to fix something, no not Eskom jammer…

@Sarel.Wagner

On Thursday, Ramaphosa promised that proper procedures will be followed in the remaining construction at Medupi and Kusile, as his government will be watching out for corruption “like hawks”.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa promised that proper procedures will be followed in the remaining construction at Medupi and Kusile, as his government will be watching out for corruption opportunities “like hawks”.

There I fixed it Damn journos, cannot even report properly…

GatvolGroetnis
(RaadopGroetnis)
(PolitiekeGroetnis)
(DonkerteGroetnis)
(Groetnis)

[mmaritz]

@Sarel.Wagner

RaadopGroetnis
(PolitiekeGroetnis)
(DonkerteGroetnis)
(Groetnis)

[TheTerribleTriplet]

THE HAIRCUT
Blessed are those that can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you, I’m doing community service this week.’

The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you, I’m doing community service this week.’ The cop was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you ’ card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then an MP came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.’ The MP was very happy and left the shop

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen MPs lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

As Margaret Thatcher said: Both politicians and nappies need to be changed often and for the same reason!

[Sarel.Wagner]

Another nail for the

ArmgatGroetnis (SpentitallonSolar)
(RaadopGroetnis)
(PolitiekeGroetnis)
(DonkerteGroetnis)
(Groetnis)

[PJJ]

As bleak as that picture looks, I am actually surprised at how low the employee costs are for 2022 (I can already hear some of you sucking in the air as you read that)

The math is quite simple, R11.4B in 2008 money to R33B in todays money is only a CAGR of 7.89% in the Eskom bill, once you account for inflation its actually not too crazy (The price of new vehicles have definitely grown at more than 7.89% p.a)
Or if you look at it per employee its only 6.9% CAGR

I guess my point is, if the Eskom staff costs are a problem (and we know they are) they have been a problem since 2008.
Would have been nice if they had a 1998 vs 2008 vs 2022 image for us.

[TheTerribleTriplet]

On Twitter, the energy boffin Dwaine van Vuuren said solar installation companies are getting 1 700 to 2 100 applications a day, according to his small poll, with about 75 to 100 installations being completed per day, he reckons. “It’s the new gold rush,” he reckoned.

And …

This is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to end load-shedding.
Rolling power cuts are with us for at least two years more, it’s safe to say.

The President, the Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and the Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe will all give you different numbers, but we think it’s a safe bet to assume load-shedding at higher levels for two years and to make other plans.

[mmaritz]

and this…

Koeberg nuclear fuel supplies in trouble after US-South Africa pact ends

[plonkster]

@PJJ

The math is quite simple

I was looking at that too. Cost per employee went up 816/320 = 255%. Over 14 years. That’s less than 7% a year, compounded, which isn’t too far off inflation. That means nobody has really had a decent pay rise since 2008… on average of course. Averages can mask a multitude of sins.

[PJJ]

@plonkster

That means nobody has really had a decent pay rise since 2008… on average of course. Averages can mask a multitude of sins.

For sure, would be interesting if we could see the wage growth per job grade over the past 14 years (along with the number of employees in each group for 2008 vs 2022), that would give you a much clearer picture of what is going on inside the Eskom wage bill.

[TheTerribleTriplet]

But let’s go “blow up some shiite” with our BFFs …

South Africa defends planned military drills with Russia and China

U.S. "concerned" as South Africa to hold war games with Russia, China on...

No relations to nuclear refueling… nope, none, nothing to do with any of that …

[Phil.g00]

Things are not always benign.
I heard a little birdie say something about Karpowerships being needed in Ukraine.
I think the ships in our bays are being told to stay put.

[plonkster]

Also, it reminded me a little of what happened at Meatco in Windhoek. It had a smaller number of staff, and when there was a lot of work to do, they worked overtime. The staff loved it (overtime paid extra), management liked it (smaller average wage bill). Then came the unions, and the government, and I’m not quite sure who was all in on it, but they decided all this overtime is no good… they company should employ more people.

This move actually pushed the income per person down, but greatly increased the wage bill at the same time.

That one number doesn’t tell you everything.

[TheTerribleTriplet]

I’m sorry, lost you guys on R 816 036 per employee.

[Sarel.Wagner]

More o them nails, from the 1999 Eskom fin report:

MinstervanFinansiesGroetnis, o en baie produktief
(ArmgatGroetnis SpentitallonSolar)
(RaadopGroetnis)
(PolitiekeGroetnis)
(DonkerteGroetnis)
(Groetnis)

[plonkster]

@TheTerribleTriplet

R 816 036 per employee.

This is where I am with @PJJ. I would like to see how that breaks down. This is not a lot of money for a professional. Some software developers make that almost straight out of university, and a good manager will take home more than that. How many of each have you got and what are their group averages? Those are the interesting numbers.

Remember that your average miner takes home about half a mill before taxes, a job that has a danger component, but is not especially skilled.