According to Eskom, eight power generating units in various power stations failed on Sunday. As a result, there is less capacity, so that citizens only have a little more than half a day of electricity per day.
Since 2007 there have been regular power cuts in South Africa. The country of 60 million people is rich in coal and continues to rely on aging and poorly maintained coal-fired power plants for more than 80 percent of its energy production, which are becoming increasingly out of order. The state-owned Eskom, which is responsible for 95 percent of the electricity supply, is also accused of corruption and mismanagement. Eskom has about 25 billion euros in debt.
In November, South Africa signed credit agreements with France and Germany worth €600 million to support the African country’s transition to more environmentally friendly energy production.