Tag: electricity

Government’s conduct over the last century and more has led to the situation South Africa finds itself in today as regards the provision of electricity. Tracing a series of legislative and regulatory interventions in the electricity market, we can see how this came to be.

When most people hear the word "gas", they're automatically inclined to think about the type of gas that pumps directly into their fuel tank. But petroleum gas is the most common gasoline fuel we encounter daily, it is only one "type" of gas.

Eskom, as a state-owned monopoly, with centrally controlled oversight and direction, is not the best structure for the supply of electricity in South Africa, a critical energy source without which no nation can grow and prosper. Better structures are those that have evolved under competitive circumstances in the European Union, United States, and small, forward-looking countries such as New Zealand.

The conversation started poorly and deteriorate from there. “Triple or single phase?” was his opening gambit. And already I was stumped. “How do I tell?” was my weak retort … and already I could feel his eyes rolling on the other side of the phone.

The Department of Minerals Resources and Energy (DMRE) has launched its plan for The South African liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market. It aims to grow the retail bottled gas market to reduce the pressure on electricity and to promote the domestic use of a healthier fuel, especially for heating and cooking.

A market for electricity has a salutary effect on the behaviour of all the participants in the generation and supply of electricity. Generating plants, transmission grids, distribution grids, wholesalers and retailers, all behave differently when they compete for business with alternative suppliers.