How much power does the country need to operate?
According to Eskom (as of 20 January 2008), South Africa’s peak demand has reached 36 700MW, while Eskom is able to supply 38 500MW. While this technically means Eskom can produce more power than required, Eskom also requires a reserve energy supply. International best practice dictates power companies must have the capacity to generate 15 percent over and above what is actually needed.
