Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that 110 generators would be installed at municipal assets across the city to keep its offices open and utility services like water purification systems and sewer pumps, operating.
The City of Cape Town will be spending at least R100 million on generators to keep its services functioning during power cuts.
The city council will be asked next week to also approve an extra R132 million for diesel in this financial year to keep them running.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that it would take time for the city’s alternative energy contracts to materialise, but the plan was gaining momentum.
Hill-Lewis said that 110 generators would be installed at municipal assets across the city to keep its offices open and utility services like water purification systems and sewer pumps, operating.
He said that the city’s plan to spare its customers up to stage 4 load shedding was taking shape.
“There’s no overnight solution here. These projects take a long time to reach financial closure and then you start construction, and then you connect to the grid. That’s why you just have to start early and close as quickly as you can.”
At least two tenders have already been awarded to companies to start building their energy projects.
“In about two to three weeks, you will see another major tender, probably 500 to 700 megawatts of more power – that’s our second round tender. As those projects start to come online, then you can move up higher stages of load shedding.”
Hill-Lewis said that the city would be left with no choice but to pass on electricity tariff hikes to its consumers until it could produce its own energy.
By: Lindsay Dentlinger
For more information visit: ewn.co.za
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