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South Africa weighs mega renewable-energy tender to curb outages

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa proposed a “mega bid window” for the procurement of renewable energy to curb rolling blackouts, even as previous plans to build clean power generation have been delayed. Ramokgopa recommended buying a minimum of 15 000 MW of energy, in addition to other measures that go beyond a seventh round of auctions for renewable-power supply that’s already planned. The proposal is evidence of the country’s commitment to green power, the minister said at a solar-energy conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday, even as he pushes to extend the life of coal-fired electricity plants.
April 25, 2023 by

Ramokgopa to fight outages with diesel

South Africa’s electricity minister proposed a plan to stave off deeper power cuts by increasing the use of diesel turbines along with building more storage capacity to store the fuel. State-owned utility Eskom Holdings will need to increase its budget for diesel, Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said, according to a copy of a presentation seen by Bloomberg. A special dispensation could reduce the cost by allowing Eskom to directly purchase the fuel, the plan showed.
April 25, 2023 by

The rich world’s plan to help developing countries go green is floundering

It was meant to be the climate justice blueprint, the deal that showed how rich countries could help developing economies end their reliance on coal and go green. Almost 18 months on, South Africa’s $8.5 billion transition showpiece looks more like a cautionary tale. Only one coal-fired power plant has been closed since the so-called Just Energy Transition Partnership was unveiled to great fanfare at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow. Now, some South African politicians are pushing to keep others open longer than planned — potentially for years — as the country struggles to end daily blackouts that are angering voters and turning off foreign investors.
April 25, 2023 by

Ginlong Solis launching inverters with enhanced outage functions in South Africa

Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed inverter manufacturer Ginlong Solis Technologies will launch its S6 Advanced Power Hybrid Inverter for South Africa at the Solar Show Africa, being held in Johannesburg on April 25 and 26. The inverters have added generator connections and control functions, and each works as a fully independent power centre to meet the needs of the South African market for residential and commercial and industrial projects, where power outages have become a daily occurrence, the company says.
April 24, 2023 by

South Africa must stick to plans to deal with electricity crisis – BLSA

The National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM), set up under the Presidency, has brought together the best people and put together a plan that has the best chance of resolving the country’s greatest economic challenge – the electricity crisis, states Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso. Business has backed that plan, going so far as to raise R100-million to pay for the technical skills needed for its implementation, she points out in her latest weekly newsletter.
April 24, 2023 by

Ramaphosa seeks to offer just energy transition assurances despite coal-extension proposal

President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied that the current process of re-examining the timeframes for the closure of coal power stations represents a reversal of the country’s position on the just energy transition. In his weekly newsletter, the President argued that any decision on decommissioning will be informed by a detailed technical assessment of the feasibility of continuing to operate older plants.
April 24, 2023 by

Two Eskom employees, fuel oil truck driver arrested for fraud and theft

State-owned Eskom reports that two employees have been arrested in relation to alleged fuel theft. The utility notes that, on April 6, the South African Police Services’ (SAPS’s) Illicit Mining and Economic Infrastructure Task Team was observing various fuel trucks in the vicinity of the Kendal power station, when they noticed a fuel tanker approaching from the power station.
April 24, 2023 by

Unions confirms they rejected Eskom’s 3.75% wage offer

As the latest round of Eskom wage negotiations is under way until the end of May, trade unions the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and Solidarity have confirmed they have rejected Eskom’s offer of a 3.75% increase, owing to it being below the inflation rate of 7.1%. The negotiations will span three rounds, with the first having been held on April 19.
April 21, 2023 by