Eskom in regulator probe
2008-04-30 08:28
Special Report
Eskom is set to seek a 34% hike in electricity tariffs, back from the 88% rise it had been considering due to the global economic slowdown, a newspaper says.
Johannesburg - Eskom is under investigation by the National Electricity Regulator (Nersa), SABC news reported on Tuesday.
The investigation was prompted by January's unexpected load
shedding, after Eskom's unplanned maintenance of its generators, the report said.
Stiff penalties could be on the cards if the power utility
transgressed its licence conditions.
The conditions include maintenance of schedules; code of practice for electricity metering; standards of service and quality of service. Eskom is due to explain itself before the Nersa Board next week.
Its capacity, coal reserves, and unplanned maintenance are some of the issues that will be probed.
If licence conditions were transgressed, Eskom will have a lot to answer for ... "even a R2m fine per day", said Nersa's executive manager Mbulelo Nceteza.
Nersa will also be looking at public submissions on Eskom's
application to hike tariffs by 53%.
Tuesday was the cut-off for written submissions.
Nersa would make its decision known on June 6, SABC reported.
- Sapa
- SAPA