CAPE TOWN: ESKOM has asked the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) to increase the price of electricity by 25.3% for the year ending March next year. The utility needs to recover about R53bn this year to plug a hole in its finances as a result of higher operating costs.
The regulator said in a statement on Friday that the proposed increase includes the 12.69% it has already approved, a 10.10% “selective reopener for OCGTs (open-cycle gas turbines), STPPP (short-term power purchase programme)” and a 2.51% increase in the environmental levy by 2c/kWh.
Eskom said it needed to recover R32.9bn, which is the cost of running the diesel-guzzling OCGTs and R19.9bn to pay for power purchased from independent producers.
