Notice to correct fictitious and misleading
information
Eskom is aware of several messages
being circulated via social and digital media indicating that there won’t be
electricity in South Africa for extended periods of time. These are false and misleading.
Date: 12
December 2019
Issue: Afrikaans sound-clip relating to
coal and fuel oil
CLAIM 1: Eskom purchases oil because they use sub-standard
coal (which is purchased from ‘empowered’ suppliers) and need the oil to ‘spike’
the coal in order for it to burn.
FACT 1: It is important to note that oil is not mixed with
coal in the power generation process.
Fuel oil is used in coal-fired boilers to stabilize the flame and manage
combustion, mainly during light-up and shut-down. During stable boiler operations
no fuel oil is required. All of Eskom’s coal suppliers are contracted to supply
coal that meets the design specifications (quality requirements) of the power
station.
CLAIM 2: Eskom does not pay its supplier and owes them R500
million rand for oil used. The supplier
requested payment and Eskom simply refused to pay them. The supplier then (on the Wednesday)
indicated that they would stop supply as from the Thursday.
FACT 2: All of Eskom’s fuel oil suppliers are currently
delivering fuel oil to the coal-fired power stations; and all payments are up
to date.
CLAIM 3: Predicted that as from Sunday, South Africa will get
loadshedding. In the end it did not
happen on Sunday, but instead on Thursday evening. Loadshedding has happened because Eskom has
not paid for the oil needed to ‘spike’ the sub-standard coal. Eskom tells us all this nonsense about wet
coal and maintenance issues on power stations, but in reality it is only
because they have not paid for oil.
FACT 3: There are various factors that have contributed to
the recent loadshedding. These are not
linked to fuel oil supply.