Power utility Eskom has warned that it may have to implement Stage 6 load-shedding from this evening, following a deterioration in its generation capacity overnight. COO Jan Oberholzer noted in a media briefing on Tuesday morning that there is a significant risk that the utility may have to implement Stage 6 load-shedding, although Eskom would do what it could to avoid that.
While Eskom has put its plans in motion to end protests that have disrupted its operations and break the deadlock at its wage talks, unions in the negotiations are split on whether the impasse may need an intervention from Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan. Historically, an intervention from Gordhan worked in unions’ favour. Following Gordhan’s intervention into the three-year deal Eskom inked with labour in 2018, the utility went from offering a 0% increase to granting 7.5% increase in year one and 7% in the subsequent two years.
The Group of Seven (G7) is moving toward reversing a commitment to halt the financing of overseas fossil-fuel projects by year’s end, a proposal now viewed favorably by most members, according to people familiar with the matter. G7 leaders meeting in the Bavarian Alps are converging on a reference to the increased role of gas projects, a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine straining their energy supply.
Energy technology innovation and funding network Innovate UK has launched the Energy Catalyst Africa programme in South Africa to support the development of energy technologies by providing early- to late-stage development and commercialisation funding. The UK government-led programme is aimed at accelerating innovation needed to end energy poverty, and provides financial and advisory support to help bring to market technologies and business models that can improve lives in Africa and Asia, Innovate UK impact and performance manager Amy Flynn said on June 27.
Going forward, combined renewables plans already in place are poised to slash Scope 2 emissions at Exxaro Resources’s Grootegeluk coal mine in Limpopo by up to 90%. The renewable strategy being executed by coal miner Exxaro’s wholly owned green energy arm – Cennergi – is the key driver of the JSE-listed company’s carbon neutrality ambitions.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) laid the blame at Eskom’s feet for the protests at power stations that ultimately plunged South Africa into Stage 4 load-shedding late last week. Speaking to Fin24 on Monday, Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola denied any involvement by the union in planning the protests but said they were a direct outcome of what she called Eskom management’s unwillingness to negotiate with organised labour in good faith.
South Africa’s power utility said most of its workforce is in place, despite some ongoing demonstrations that started last week after a breakdown in wage negotiations, though generation capacity has yet to improve. “The greater majority of employees are reporting for duty,” Eskom Holdings’ media desk said in an emailed reply to questions. There were still some “sporadic protests” and demonstrations on Monday and there’s more generation capacity unavailable then there was in previous days.
The UK has agreed to guarantee $2-billion of the debt the African Development Bank has extended to governments on the continent, allowing the lender to free up finance for climate-related projects. The additional lending capacity will be used to fund projects for climate resilience and renewable energy, Akinwumi Adesina, president of the Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire-based bank, said in interview last week.
Stage 4 load-shedding will continue to be implemented from 05:00 in the morning until Wednesday, Eskom has announced. The power utility said the power cuts would be implemented every day until midnight.
Independent renewable energy company Earth & Wire expects to begin installing its first long-duration energy storage system in South Africa in 2024 after announcing a 300 MW/1 200 MWh order for a battery system from Ambri, of the US. First deliveries are scheduled for the second quarter of 2024, and implementation, which could be across multiple sites, is expected to involve a capital investment of between R3.5-billion and R4-billion depending on exchange-rate, interest-rate and supply-chain fluctuations.
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