Government takes the energy situation in the country very seriously, Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown said on Thursday following the state-of-the-nation address.

“That is why it has a war room that constitutes any department that affects energy in the country,” she said.

“It is the almost most single important issue for growth in our economy and our lives.”

During his state-of-the-nation address President Jacob Zuma said stabilising Eskom’s finances was a priority and the power utility would be given R23 billion to do so.

She said the reason there were black-outs was because the grid was constrained.

“The problem is that more people are on the grid, the economy has grown and we haven’t kept up with generation.”

Brown said during his speech President Jacob Zuma spoke about a longer term plan for energy which included renewable energy, nuclear energy and shale gas.

She said the first unit of the new Medupi power station would come online in the next few weeks and Kusile next year.

“It won’t be an out right solution but it will help get more megawatts on the grid,” Brown said. SAPA