South African ferro-chrome producers are switching furnaces back on as state energy group Eskom continues to seek ways to conserve power after the expiry of recent power buyback deals.

 

All South Africa’s ferro-chrome producers cut production in the first half of this year and sold the conserved electricity back to Eskom, but the deals expired on June 1, coinciding with South Africa’s more expensive winter tariff period. Eskom remains concerned about a lack of generating capacity and is approaching individual industrial users asking them to curb electricity consumption, particularly during peak hours.