Eskom unbundling plan could be ‘major setback’ for electricity reform – Busa

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has expressed concern that the Eskom unbundling plan announced in December might represent a “major setback” for the reforms under way in the electricity sector and is seeking urgent clarity as to why the policymaker has endorsed the plan. CEO Khulekani Mathe tells Engineering News that organised business was taken by surprise by the announcement that the National Transmission Company South Africa would remain an Eskom Holdings subsidiary and that the transmission assets would not be transferred to a new Transmission System Operator (TSO) being set up outside of Eskom.
/by

Afreximbank announces initial $8bn funding package for South Africa as a new shareholder

President Cyril Ramaphosa has overseen the signing of South Africa’s accession to the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) establishment agreement after Parliament approved the move in November last year. As a consequence of the signing, which was executed by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and witnessed by Ramaphosa on February 4, in Johannesburg, Afreximbank president George Elombi announced that the bank had put together an initial $8-billion funding package for South Africa, geared at supporting the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) and National Industrial Policy Framework.
/by

Seriti Green appoints Motloung as COO as projects move into operation

Renewable energy independent power producer Seriti Green has appointed Chabisi Motloung as COO, as the company’s projects, including the giant Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm in Mpumalanga, move into operation. The first three faces of Ummbila Emoyeni are now under construction, and involve wind projects with a combined capacity of 465 MW, as well as a new main transmission substation. The full 900 MW development will involve five wind farms, a solar PV generator and a battery storage facility.
/by

Experts unpack pertinent grid constraint issues

South Africa’s electricity transmission grid constraints pose challenges such as delaying projects and hampering electricity investment; however, the impact of this is fully understood by stakeholders, and therefore, interventions are under way to mitigate this, with collaboration pivotal to this process. This was indicated by speakers participating in Creamer Media’s “Investing in South Africa’s Electricity Transmission Grid” webinar on February 3. The panel – facilitated by Brian Day, and …
/by