Eskom won the Green Grand Prix Award at the 17th annual Sunday Times Top Brands Awards for preserving the environment and harnessing the country’s natural resources.
This is the second year in a row Eskom has won this award, which is given to companies that have embarked on environmentally friendly initiatives, according to a company press release.
Eskom was recognized for its work in the following areas:
— Large scale renewable project, the 100-MW Sere wind facility near Vredendal in the Western Cape
— Constructed pilot solar photovoltaic plants for its own consumption at the Kendal and Lethabo power stations
— Developing a diversified energy mix that includes wind, solar, hydro and pumped storage schemes, a nuclear power station and coal-fired power stations.
“We continue to promote a culture that recognizes sustainable development in all our activities,” said Brian Molefe, acting chief executive of Eskom. “Environmental compliance … impacts operational sustainability. It is critical to maintaining our licence to operate, thereby ensuring security of supply. It also underpins our principle of zero harm to the environment, while operating under complex and evolving environmental requirements.”
The Sunday Times Top Brands Survey looks at brands’ penetration in the marketplace while also examining their relative strength amongst users and its relative attraction amongst non-users. The Sunday Times is South Africa’s biggest Sunday newspaper and was established in 1906.
Eskom generates about 95% of the electricity used in South Africa and about 45% of the electricity used in Africa. The company operates 23 power stations with a total capacity of 42,090 MW, including 600 MW of conventional hydro and 1,400 MW of pumped storage.
