SA20 venues to ensure independent power supply in wake of South Africa's worst power cuts in 2022

The SA20 2023 is scheduled to start on January 10 with MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals clashing in the opening match at Newlands in Cape Town. However, the tournament will face a major challenge, as the six venues are not allowed to use the national power utilities.

According to a report in espncricinfo, all six venues are required to ensure an independent power supply to keep the lights on during the matches and it is likely to cost them big bucks. South Africa experienced their worst power cuts in 2022 and the situation is likely to worsen this year. 

Cricket South Africa is already suffering with similar issues for the day-night domestic matches and has shifted many matches to a day schedule. But SA20 matches, which are scheduled for 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm local time, are unlikely to see a change in time. Now all six venues are required to rent power generators to keep the floodlights, changing room lights, and the lights around the ground on. 

Each stadium will be hosting five matches as a host venue for a team and that will cost as much as US$ 117,000 approximately. This will come from the stadium's hosting fee which is around $50,000 per match and it is likely to be enough to cover the electricity supply charges. The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg is likely to cost more due to its size but other five stadiums will be able to cover the electricity charges from their hosting fees. 

In 2022, the nation witnessed power cuts for more than 200 days. As per ESPNcricinfo reports, South Africa is on Stage 2 of 8 of its rotational power cuts. In this stage, the areas are suffering for two-and-a-half hours a day and it is also reported that the situation was worst during the Stage 6 blackouts in December 2022, where power cuts used to last for 11 hours a day.

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