The National Electricity Regulator of SA has given Eskom permission to have "commercially sensitive" information on its proposed 53 percent tariff increase withheld from publication, Nersa said on Monday.

"It is information that Eskom feels is commercially sensitive ? just a paragraph here and there that needs to be taken out," said Nersa spokesperson Charles Hlebela.

The entire tariff application was to have been posted on the Nersa website for public comment and subsequent hearings.

Instead, the amended version will be posted on the Nersa website on Tuesday afternoon, he said.

Eskom could not comment immediately on the reasons for the application, but trade union Solidarity accused the power utility of lack of transparency in making the confidentiality application.

Solidarity said that last week it applied in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (2 of 2000) for the disclosure of the confidential report, but it was rejected after Eskom argued that the report will be published on the Nersa website.

"If the full report is not published tomorrow, we shall ask for reasons before weighing further legal remedies," said Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans.

"Eskom's lack of transparency"

"Eskom's lack of transparency is clear from its request, but the public is entitled to the full motivation for the high increase," he said.

An audit report of the application, commissioned by Solidarity, would be published in early May, Kleynhans said.

On 18 March Eskom handed in its application to the regulator's electricity sub-committee. It was granted a 14.2 percent increase at the end of last year but is now seeking a 53 percent hike amid a national electricity crisis.

The Freedom Front Plus said it would request a probe into Eskom's financial activities, suspecting something amiss for the utility to seek a substantial tariff increase.

"Something is not right with Eskom's books since the same company that reported a net profit of several billion-rand in 2007 is now asking for a tariff increase of 67 percent to make ends meet," said the party's spokesperson on minerals and energy, Willie Spies.

It would ask the minister of public works to launch a forensic investigation into the power utility's financial activities for the last five years.

Spies also rejected Eskom's request to Nersa to keep its presentation about the proposed tariff hikes confidential.

Eskom was a public enterprise, the public's property, and should therefore be honest with the public about its financial management.

"Eskom has no competitors that could act to its disadvantage if this information is made public. The public has the right to know what managerial mistakes or circumstances lead to this ridiculous tariff hike," Spies said.