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Eskom will miss target to boost power output from coal plants

State power utility Eskom will miss a target to boost output from struggling coal-fired plants by the end of March, highlighting the poor state of equipment whose viability is being reviewed by German energy consultants. Eskom Holdings, which is subjecting South Africa to its worst-ever electricity outages, told lawmakers in January it planned to increase production from six struggling facilities by 1,862 megawatts by the end of March. That would be enough to meet the needs of South Africa’s second-biggest city of Cape Town, where peak demand in winter is 1,800 megawatts.
March 7, 2023 by

Renewables organisations launch 2023 grid survey with Eskom

Industry organisations the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) and the South Africa Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) have launched the 2023 South African Renewable Energy Grid Survey in conjunction with State-owned power utility Eskom. The 2023 version of the survey has been updated to account for projects that employ wheeling and has been expanded to capture even more detail per project to aid Eskom in its overall grid planning.
March 7, 2023 by

Gordhan dismisses allegations of micromanaging Eskom staff

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has dismissed what he called “unfounded allegations” by Good Party secretary general Brett Herron that he goes around the Eskom CEO and board to liaise directly with Eskom officials. Herron gave a television interview where he discussed the country’s energy crisis in the country and raised the allegations of Gordhan by-passing Eskom leadership.
March 7, 2023 by

Ramokgopa says assessment will determine what powers he needs to close 10 GW electricity deficit

Newly-appointed Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, reports that he will conduct an assessment over the coming seven to 14 days to help determine what powers he will request President Cyril Ramaphosa to transfer to him to tackle a supply deficit of about 10 000 MW. Ramokgopa’s deficit estimate, which he communicated during an interview on SAfm, is larger than the 4 000 MW to 6 000 MW shortfall previously communicated by Eskom and implies that the energy availability factor of the coal fleet is unlikely to recover as strongly as has been suggested by other government leaders.
March 7, 2023 by

Kgosientso Ramokgopa appointed ‘transitory’ Minister of Electricity as Ramaphosa seeks …

As anticipated, Kgosientso Ramokgopa has been appointed as South Africa’s Minister of Electricity, a position which President Cyril Ramaphosa described as transitory and which has been created specifically to coordinate efforts to tackle the “severity and frequency of loadshedding as a matter of urgency”. “The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity will liaise with other relevant Ministers to ensure coherence in the issuing of directions during the National State of Disaster.
March 6, 2023 by

NMU, merSETA host solar boat competition to inculcate skills

The Nelson Mandela University (NMU), in collaboration with the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA), recently held the inaugural NMU Solar Boat Competition, in Gqeberha. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and technical high schools participated in the competition. The event exposed learners and students to solar technologies and helped them develop essential skills to design and manufacture a simple solar-powered boat. The goal of the three-hour endurance race was to cover the longest distance in the time limit, with sunlight the only power source allowed for propulsion. The event was also about developing skills and interest in these areas among the youngsters.
March 6, 2023 by

DTIC to act as one-stop shop for streamlining of energy project applications

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has been designated as the “single department” referred to in the recently published State of Disaster (SoD) regulations to coordinate the “streamlining and expediting of applications and decision-making procedures for regulatory processes related to energy generation projects”. The appointment is catered for under Regulation 5(1)(e) and the Presidency’s Rudi Dicks reports that the clause is in line with the National Energy Crisis Committee’s initiative to established a one-stop shop within government specifically to expedite regulatory approvals for electricity projects.
March 3, 2023 by

Nuru receives additional $1.5m for solar PV in the DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC’s) first solar photovoltaic (PV) metrogrid developer Nuru has secured an initial $1.5-million from investors in a convertible note round ahead of the close of its Series B funding round. The investment is a bridge to bolster the company’s $25-million Series B equity fundraise, which will be invested by a consortium of international investors at financial close.
March 3, 2023 by