EMS Monthly Report 2013
Though gas only accounts for 3% of South Africa’s current energy consumption, it holds great risks to industrial users’ future profitability. Industrial users are a great contributor to employment. South Africa’s total gas reserves stood at 770 billion standard cubic feet in March 2012, was the only country surveyed without any forecast price reductions for gas. “Going forward, gas prices will also increase and these prices could rise for industrial consumers by as much as 30 to 40 percent (at a maximum),” NUS said. DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Energy, David Ross, called on Energy Minister, Dipuo Peters, to take the future of gas, its pricing, as well as its contribution to the national energy mix into account before releasing the draft Integrated Energy Planning Report in July 2013. “In the meantime, the DA will make an urgent submission to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to review the current method of increasing the price of different energy sources simultaneously,” Ross said. “The continuous increase in the price for energy in South Africa not only hurt South African households but also places significant constraints on economic growth and job creation,” Ross said. “We need to plan effectively for our future to affordably power South Africa into the future
NUS Consulting SA – August 2013
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