The government will give Eskom a R10-billion bail-out before June and hike electricity prices to curb demand as it tackles the power crisis hobbling mine and factory output.
Before December, Eskom will get another R10-billion, and a final R3-billion next year, once funding has been raised through the sale of state assets, according to Anthony Julies, a deputy director-general in the Treasury.
Julies gave no further details other than to say the sale of assets was "on track".
Eskom turned to the government for support to build new plants and maintain existing ones. It is confronted with a R225-billion cash flow shortfall in the five years to March 2018.
The Treasury announced plans to sell "non-core" assets in September, and Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene said details would be revealed in the budget.
Eskom has R350-billion of debt guarantees from the government, and would have used up R144.5-billion of that by the end of next month. The government is also considering converting a R60-billion subordinated loan to Eskom into equity.
"W e want to make sure that there is certainty with regards to [Eskom ] being able to get cost-reflective tariffs; it is there where their capacity to raise funding lies."
An electricity levy will be raised by 2c to 5.5c per kilowatt-hour as a "behavioural tax" to curb demand, Nene said.
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