South Africa SOEs: 200 Days Without Power Outages; Truck Times

South Africa recorded the 200th day of constant electricity supply since state power utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. halted rolling outages known as load shedding on March 26.

The uninterrupted supply is the result of an operational recovery plan, which has reduced unplanned outages by about 8.6%, Eskom said in a statement on Sunday. Energy availability also improved by 7.7%, it said.

“In preparation for a competitive electricity market, this is a significant milestone to ensure energy security” and attract investment to South Africa, Eskom Chief Executive Officer Dan Marokane said.

The utility is also on track to reach 206 days free of outages since Oct. 18, which would be the longest streak since October 2019, he said. 

Transnet SOC Ltd. improved truck turnaround times by 24% in a pilot project with transporters at the Durban Container Terminal Pier 2.

The new truck-booking solution to manage the flow of vehicles into the facility will continue in order to improve and sustain the availability of slots there, the state-owned ports operator said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

Transnet Pipelines’ liquefied natural gas terminal at Richards Bay may start operating as early as 2027, helping South Africa avoid a shortage of the fuel, News24 reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Sibongiseni Khathi.

The Transnet National Ports Authority announced earlier this year that it appointed a group to develop and operate the terminal as a joint venture for the next 25 years, with the facility expected to come online in the first quarter of 2028. The deadline may be pushed to the first half of 2027, the Cape Town-based news website cited Khathi as saying.