South Africa's energy usage down by 2.8 % in August

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released its monthly electricity publication, indicating that South Africa's electricity consumption decreased by 2.8 % in August. The usage of electricity consumption for the quarter ending August also declined.
"Electricity consumed for the three months ending August 2008 decreased by 1.9 % (-1,235 GWh) compared with the same three months a year ago," said Stats SA.

South Africa, which has been battling to meet its current electricity demand, produced 3.2 % compared with August 2007. In the first eight months of 2008, consumption of electricity was affected by numerous factors that led to reduced levels of consumption, such as load shedding and a continuous education campaign by Eskom aimed at encouraging users to save electricity.
Electricity distributed to the provinces went down by 1.9 % for the first eight months of 2008 compared with the first eight months of 2007. In spite of the general decreasing trend, increases were reported for Limpopo (2.4%) and Mpumalanga (1.4 %). Decreases were reported for Western Cape (-0.5 %), Gauteng (-1.6 %), North West (-1.9 %), Eastern Cape (-4.1 %), KwaZulu-Natal (-4.5 %), Free State (-5.3 %) and Northern Cape (-7.9 %).

According to Statistics SA, international trade in electricity for the first eight months of 2008 showed annual decreases for electricity imported from outside South Africa (-9.8 %) and electricity exported to neighbouring countries (-3.2 %).
"The refurbishment at the Eskom Apollo converter station which receives the imports from the Cahora Bassa scheme in Mozambique has been completed, resulting in an increase in the level of imports," said Stats SA.

Apart from the interconnector between Zambia and Zimbabwe being closed, contracted purchases from the DRC are still not being received due to their generation plant being out of service for refurbishment.
"Eskom expects that these purchases will be resumed in December 2008. Sales to neighbouring states continue to be reduced in line with the reduction required of all customers," added Stats SA.