The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) homed in on the “prudency” and “efficiency” of Eskom having spent an extra R8-billion on diesel to operate the expensive open cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) during its 2013/14 financial year, as Regulatory Clearing Account (RCA) hearings entered their final stretch on Thursday. The State-owned utility has made application, under the RCA mechanism, to recoup R22.8-billion in cost and revenue variances for only the first year of the five-year third multiyear price determination (MYPD3). Nersa has been hosting public hearings into the application since late January and expects to make a final determination on February 26.
