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Westbrooke reaches R300m close on renewable energy investment fund

South African investment management company Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management has successfully closed its R300-million inaugural tax-enhanced renewable energy alternatives investment strategy. It plans to invest the capital alongside South African businesses that install, operate and own small and medium-sized embedded generation solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.
July 31, 2023 by

Eskom sanguine about Nersa decision to approve three grid licences separately, but Presidency …

The head of Eskom’s transmission division says he was not surprised by the decision of the Energy Regulator to approve only one of the three licence applications made by the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTC), which is being unbundled from Eskom. However, the Presidency has expressed concern that the decision to process the licence applications separately could delay the operationalisation of the independent grid company, which it views as a priority reform for the embattled sector.
July 30, 2023 by

Energy Regulator approves 25-year transmission licence for NTC with two more approvals to follow

South Africa’s Energy Regulator, the highest decision-making body of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), has approved a 25-year transmission licence for the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTC), which is being unbundled from Eskom. Only a transmission facilities licence was granted during the meeting on July 27, and the regulator indicated that the trading licence and an import/export licence, which had also been applied for by NTC in a bundled application, would be processed separately.
July 28, 2023 by

Stage 4 overnight on Friday – and a weekend of loadshedding ahead

Stage 4 loadshedding will continue to be implemented until 05:00 on Saturday, Eskom has said. Thereafter, various stages of loadshedding will be implemented until 05:00 on Monday. Breakdowns have reduced to 16 686MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3 966MW. Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit at Camden, Duvha and two generating units at Kendal power stations were returned to service. But in the same period, a generating unit at Medupi and two generating units at Kriel power stations were taken offline for repairs. “The delay in returning to service a generating unit at Kendal, Majuba and two generating units at Tutuka power stations is contributing to the current capacity constraints,” Eskom said.
July 28, 2023 by

Another turbulent week for electricity in S Africa

It’s been another turbulent week on the electricity front, with ongoing high levels of loadshedding, the launch of a law suit against Eskom’s grid queuing rules and false and confusing statements about the decommissioning of Komati. Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the week’s developments.  
July 28, 2023 by

Patel urges developers to register on dedicated Energy One-Stop Shop platform

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has launched the Energy One-Stop Shop (EOSS), as well as the Energy Resilience Fund (ERF), as part of efforts to streamline the process of renewable energy project development and to enable more investment. The EOSS is aimed at fast-tracking energy projects, in line with government’s broader effort over the last few years to increase the supply of energy available to the grid.
July 27, 2023 by

CEOs from 115 companies pledge to help rebuild South Africa

CEOs from over 115 leading corporations operating in South Africa and which collectively employ 1.2-million people and have a combined market value R11-trillion, have formally pledged to help the country overcome the problems currently undermine inclusive economic growth. The companies operate across all sectors of the South African economy, which is currently characterised by low economic growth, collapsing infrastructure, rampant crime and corruption, and extremely levels of inequality and unemployment.
July 27, 2023 by

Investment of $8bn a year needed to ensure universal clean cooking by 2030

Universal clean cooking access could be reached worldwide by 2030 with yearly investment of $8-billion, and clean cooking is a cornerstone of global efforts to improve energy access, gender equity, economic development and human dignity, says global body the International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Dr Fatih Birol. Nearly one-in-three people around the world cook their meals over open fires or on basic stoves, resulting in significant damage to health, living standards and gender equality.
July 26, 2023 by

Karpowership to proceed with South African environment applications

Karpowership has been given permission to proceed with applications for environmental approval for plans to install ship-based power plants at South Africa’s Richards Bay and Saldanha ports. Barbara Creecy, South Africa’s environment minister, dismissed appeals from five environmental groups against the Richards Bay plan, according to the ruling seen by Bloomberg. In a separate ruling she allowed Karpowership to pursue environmental approval at Saldanha, overturning an earlier decision by her department to deny permission.
July 26, 2023 by

Ghana, US, nuclear regulators reaffirm their close cooperation

The heads of the Ghana Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate closely on nuclear safety and regulation. This reaffirmation, jointly by NRA director-general Nii Kwashie Allotey and NRC Chair Christopher T Hanson, was made at the end of last week when the latter was on a visit to Ghana. The two agencies signed their first bilateral cooperation and technical information exchange agreement in 2017. This agreement, and the subsequent cooperation between them, was part of broader Ghanaian-US initiative to assist the African country in developing a civil nuclear power programme. The cooperation between the NRA and NRC embraced issues such as nuclear energy safety and security-related issues.
July 25, 2023 by