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Drakenstein municipality rolls out new, green switchgear

The Drakenstein municipality, in the Western Cape, has adopted Schneider Electric’s green RM AirSeT switchgear, which it says will reduce the municipality’s carbon footprint by using pure air instead of SF6 gas. The project alleviates the harmful greenhouse gas emissions produced by SF6 gas (sulphur hexafluoride) found in traditional gas-insulated switchgear, which is 23 500 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
September 19, 2023 by

Eskom expects NTCSA to begin trading from April

Eskom expects the remaining suspensive conditions required for the operationalisation of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) to be met by the end of its current financial year and for the entity to commence trading from the start of the new financial year, which begins on April 1. Commenting on the decision of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to approved, on September 14, the two additional licence applications required for the independent operation of the NTCSA, Eskom said the approvals marked “a significant milestone in the legal separation process of the Transmission Division”.
September 19, 2023 by

‘We have been doing nothing for 10 years’: Idle Tshwane power stations cost the City billions

Around R300-million is spent annually on salaries for staff and maintenance at the Rooiwal and Pretoria West power stations, which have not been operational for more than a decade. On Monday, Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink addressed the media on the City’s plan to procure and generate at least 1 000 megawatts of power independent of the state-run power producer, Eskom.
September 19, 2023 by

Energy Regulator approves two outstanding licences for new grid company

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved the two licence applications required for the operationalisation of the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA), which is in the process of being established as an independent unbundled division of Eskom Holdings. The approvals of the trading, as well as the import and export licences were made by the Energy Regulator, Nersa’s highest decision-making body, at a special meeting held on September 14.
September 18, 2023 by

Diesel supply problem blamed for low OCGT use during intense loadshedding week

Eskom has confirmed that problems in the diesel supply chain last week meant that it did not operate its open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) as “hard” as it would have done normally in a context where the utility was resorting to Stage 6 loadshedding. Head of generation Bheki Nxumalo did not offer any details on the nature of the supply-chain problems during a weekly update on the Energy Action Plan.
September 17, 2023 by

Growthpoint wheels first renewable electricity through Cape Town pilot project

JSE-listed real estate investment trust Growthpoint Properties South Africa has become the first party in South Africa to wheel renewable electricity through Cape Town’s energy grid, in collaboration with electricity trading company Etana Energy.

Wheeling involves electricity being bought and sold between private parties and being transported from where it is generated to end-users over long distances.

September 15, 2023 by

Renewables hosting capacity of existing Western Cape grid could be doubled with 10% curtailment

A preliminary analysis by two leading European transmission system operators (TSOs) shows that the capacity of the existing Western Cape grid alone to host variable renewable generators could be doubled under a scenario where no more than 10% curtailment is implemented. Curtailment involves the active reduction of output from wind and solar plants in response to system security needs or temporary transmission capacity constraints and is widely used by system operators to facilitate the introduction of renewable generators in a context of grid constraints.
September 14, 2023 by