You are cordially invited to attend an open and interactive workshop, panel discussion and debate hosted by trade union,
Solidarity. A panel of experts will discuss funding plans for
Eskom and its MYPD (multi-year price determination) application to
NERSA for an increase in the average price of electricity of 45% per annum for three consecutive years.
DATE: 3 December 2009
TIME: 09h30 for 10h00 to 13h00, followed by lunch, courtesy of Solidarity
VENUE: Centurion Lake Hotel, Centurion, Pretoria (directions below)
COST: No cost, free-of-charge
Chris Yelland, managing director of
EE Publishers, will act as the facilitator and chairperson for the discussion. The panel of experts will comprise:
- Chris Hart: senior economist at Investment Solutions, a provider of multi-manager investment portfolios, with assets under management of over R100-billion
- Andrew Kenny: consulting engineer, with degrees in physics and mechanical engineering, formerly of Eskom and senior research officer at the Energy Research Institute of the University of Cape Town
- Mike Schüssler: senior economist and partner of Economists.co.za, a specialist economics consultancy to government, business and industry
BACKGROUND
The public hearings arranged by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) in February 2009 covered Eskom's application for an interim price increase in 2009. Former Eskom CEO Jacob Maroga indicated the interim application would cover primary energy and other operational cost increases. He called for an open discourse involving government, Eskom municipalities, industry, labour and other stakeholders, including the general public, to engage to develop a plan for the funding of Eskom's new-build programme.
Then, at the recent announcement of Eskom's MYPD application to NERSA for an increase in the average electricity price of 45% per annum per annum for three years to fund the new-build programme, Maroga indicated that the application was the start of the discourse into the funding plan that would culminate when NERSA announced its final determination in March 2010. He again called for open and broad-based engagement between Eskom and all stakeholders on the matter, indicating that the funding plan was not just an Eskom matter, but a matter for the whole country.
The Eskom pricing application would have the electricity price increase five-fold between 2008 and 2012 as follows:
Year: 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Increase: 1,27 x 1,31 x 1,45 x 1,45 x 1,45 = 5,08 x
The Eskom application has been met with shock within South Africa, and after initially indicating its support for the Eskom proposal, government has now requested alternative proposals and options from Eskom. Recent media have since indicated that Eskom is now preparing an alternative pricing application for submission to NERSA.
This initiative by Solidarity, is part of its efforts to engage constructively and openly with its members and other stakeholders in the public interest in order to formulate a coherent and rational response to the Eskom MYPD application for presentation to NERSA.
REGISTRATION AND QUERIES
For catering and seating purposes, registration is essential.
Alternatively, please register as soon as possible by contacting
Antoinette Koster, Solidarity, Email: akoster@solidariteit.co.za, Tel: 012 644-4329, indicating the names, cell phone numbers and email addresses of persons interested in attending.
Your booking will be confirmed thereafter.
To avoid disappointment, please book early as seating is limited.
DIRECTIONS AND PARKING
From central Johannesburg:
Take the M1 towards Pretoria. Take the N1 turn off and proceed towards Centurion. Take the John Vorster off-ramp and proceed into this road. Turn into Lenchen Avenue North and proceed to the Centurion Lake Hotel.
From O R Tambo International Airport:
Take the R21 towards Centurion. Take the N1 turn off. Take the John Vorster off-ramp from the N1. Turn into Lenchen Avenue North and proceed to the Centurion Lake Hotel.
From Pretoria:
Take the R28/N14 towards Johannesburg. Take the N1 turn off and proceed towards Centurion. Take the John Vorster off-ramp and proceed into this road. Turn into Lenchen Avenue North and proceed to the Centurion Lake Hotel.
Secure parking is available.
