Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has labelled a mooted increase in Eskom’s electricity tariff of 36% “untenable” and “unaffordable” and has promised to work on an outcome that seeks to strike a “delicate balance” between the needs of consumers and Eskom’s financial sustainability. In his speech during a special Parliamentary debate, the Minister also reaffirmed the need to transition the Eskom tariff toward cost-reflectivity, highlighting the burden on taxpayers should the utility’s finances not be stabilised.
Civil rights organisation AfriForum says the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has applied to the Supreme Court of Appeal in the case related to its implementation of tariff hikes for at least 100 municipalities.
The organisation has been challenging the regulator’s implementation of what it deems to be unlawful and invalid tariff hikes. AfriForum says in its latest statement it will oppose this application in the interest of power consumers across the country.
Information technology company IBM has developed two new interactive models for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) GeoHub, namely the artificial intelligence (AI) model Electricity Access Forecasting, and the statistical geospatial model Clean Energy Equity Index. The new models will be made available for free to the general public through the UNDP GeoHub dashboards, thereby helping users access data and insights to interpret complex clean energy challenges and opportunities, the organisations say.
Corporate and investment bank RMB reports that it financed renewable-energy investments worth R50-billion over the past year and is expecting ongoing high levels of renewables funding this year, while positioning itself to also finance private grid projects in future. Infrastructure sector solutions head Judy Kobus reports that the bank’s funding has supported projects with a combined capacity of 2 400 MW, which were implemented on the back of both public and private procurement initiatives in South Africa.
Commercial and industrial geyser and boiler manufacturer Kwikot on September 18 launched its new Elon Smart Water heating system – a smart geyser system that uses solar PV-generated electricity and/or grid power. The Elon solution was developed by electricity technology startup company PowerOptimal in partnership with Kwikot and specialist electronics manufacturer Microtronix, which served as the manufacturing partner that developed the prototype and manufactures the systems.
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