Coal demand from Eskom to normalise, says South32

Coal demand from State-owned power utility Eskom is expected to normalise, following low demand over the past few months, diversified miner South32 COO Mike Fraser said during a media call to discuss its interim results, on February 18. He said the maintenance work being undertaken by should result in an increase in pull demand for coal, which should return to normal levels in the future. 
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Shoprite expands solar PV project; 19 sites outfitted

Fast-moving consumer goods company the Shoprite Group has expanded its solar photovoltaic (PV) programme, with 19 of its sites in South Africa and Namibia now boasting rooftop PV installations.

There are now 18 Shoprite Group stores throughout South Africa and Namibia that use solar power, including Checkers stores in Plettenberg Bay Mall, Woodlands, Parys, Sitari, Gordons Bay, Constantia, Hermanus and Whale Coast Mall.

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AfDB grants Morocco energy company $965 000 for renewables transition

The African Development Bank’s (AfDB’s) Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (Sefa) is providing a $965 000 grant to Morocco’s Société d’Ingénierie Energétique (SIE), to support its transition into the first “super energy service company (Esco)” initiative in Africa.

Sefa is an AfDB-managed special fund, providing finance for renewable energy projects.

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DMRE says emergency-power deviation notice will not trigger legal challenge

On February 12, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel published a Gazette notice granting the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) permission to deviate from the relevant Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment code of good practice for the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP). Through the RMIPPPP, government is aiming to procure 2 000 MW of ‘emergency’ power for operation by June 2022. The evaluation of the 28 bids received ahead of the submission deadline, which was extended to December 22 from an initial deadline of November 24, is under way and is expected to be completed this month.
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Eskom’s ‘deplorable’ R840m Kusile housing blunder could go to local community

Eskom is considering handing over its R840 million white elephant of a block of flats near Witbank to local community members –  after cost overruns described by its CEO André de Ruyter as “deplorable”.  The Wilge Residential Development Project was meant to house contractors and artisans working at Kusile power station in 336 flats.  
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