In an effort to ensure an additional 2010 megawatt (MW) power for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Eskom embarked on a project dubbed ‘2010 virtual power station’ (VPS).

In the meantime, the South African government has also established a task team to deal with the security and quality of electricity supply for 2010.

Municipal business plans outlining projected expenditure for all energy activities are complete and electricity quality benchmarks have been established in line with the regulatory framework.


Plans are also being put in place to ensure that those fans who cannot obtain tickets for live World Cup matches will be able to have a good World Cup experience in fan parks across the country.


The VPS involves a number of initiatives that will each add a certain amount of electricity to cater for demand during the event.


The 2 010 MW created would be “over and above what Eskom is bringing back by 2010” – by taking some its power stations out of mothballs, an Eskom spokesperson said recently.


The 2 010 MW will be generated by various methods – including municipal load control, such as turning off geysers at key sites surrounding hospitality infrastructure, for example.

These installations should create 100 MW of electricity, while onsite generators will provide about 100 MW of uninterrupted power supply to stadiums, training venues and media centres.


Eskom’s wind farm, located in the Western Cape and due to become operational in mid 2009, is expected to add a further 100 MW by 2010.


A dedicated power alert in the form of a television information service showing electricity usage is projected to contribute a further 100 MW, and dedicated demand-side management (DSM) is expected to free an additional 100 MW of capacity.

The bulk of supply, however, will come from Eskom and customer capacity management, each contributing 700 MW. Eskom will also be looking at reducing the amount of electricity exported to the Southern African Power Pool during the World Cup.


Businesses are also encouraged to contribute through DSM initiatives, electricity consumption reduction and registration of available onsite generators.


Eskom will spend R94 billion of its R150 billion five-year plan in a build-up to the FIFA World Cup, with R10 billion being spent on fast-tracking projects for 2010.


The director general of the 2010 FIFA World Cup government unit, Joe Phaahla, said that the energy technical task team was formed with representatives from Eskom and officials from the Department of Minerals and Energy.


“The key responsibility of the task team is to attend to all issues relating to the security and quality of electricity supply,” he said in a presentation updating South Africa’s preparedness for the major sporting event.


While South Africa is building five new stadiums in preparation of the tournament – the Peter Mokaba complex in Polokwane, the King Senzangakhona stadium in Durban, the Nelson Mandela stadium in Port Elizabeth, the Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit and the Green Point stadium in Cape Town – there will not be nearly enough match tickets to accommodate all fans.


Fifa 2010 local organising committee CEO Danny Jordaan said recently only 3 million tickets would be available to the world, including 207 Fifa members, broadcasting teams, the 32 qualifying nations, Fifa guests, local organising committee, commercial partners and the general public.


He explained that South Africa would be allocated about 1 million tickets, “if we are lucky. We must look to fan parks to ensure a good World Cup experience."


Four types of fan parks will be built across South Africa, in African countries and in countries participating in the 2010 World Cup. The fan parks will be built in and around stadiums, in host cities outside the World Cup zone (townships), in non-host cities inside South Africa, in the Southern African Development Community, across the African continent and in the 32 countries participating in the event.


The fan parks will ensure that as many people as possible will be able to view the matches and “get a better idea of what South Africa is about”, Jordaan said.