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DMRE promises urgency as Koeberg seeks to secure ongoing supply of Westinghouse fuel

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) says it is working with other departments to expedite negotiations on a new nuclear cooperation agreement with the US, following the expiry of a previous agreement, with implications for the supply of nuclear fuel to Eskom’s Koeberg power station. The Nuclear Cooperation Agreement on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy was signed between South Africa and the US in 1995 and came into effect on December 4, 1997, for a period of 25 years. The agreement, thus, lapsed on December 4, 2022.
February 3, 2023 by

Ener-G-Africa opens women-led 15 MW/y small solar panel assembly plant in Cape Town

Energy company Ener-G-Africa (EGA) launched its new 15 MW/y women-led solar panel assembly plant, in Cape Town, on February 2. The $1.5-million, 800 m2 plant is manufacturing solar panels for use with advanced biomass stoves, as well as for the regional African market and overseas exports. “This solar assembly facility was built with a focus on making smaller solar panels to serve low-income households across sub-Saharan Africa. It is a small solar panel plant that has been certified by TÜV Rheinland, which means that some of Africa’s poorest communities will have access to solar with the highest quality certification available,” said EGA CEO André Moolman.
February 3, 2023 by

Farmers seek new deal as loadshedding threatens industry and food security

The impact of loadshedding on the agriculture sector is evident at all levels of operation, including logistics and cold chain management, which necessitates urgent responses from farmers and government, lest food security and export sales are put at risk. A report by Nova Economics estimates that agriculture lost about 4.38% of its contribution to gross domestic product in 2018/19 and that the cost of loadshedding for agriculture amounts to R4.01 per kWh in terms of 2020 values.
February 3, 2023 by

New tech predetects leaks

South Africa experiences regular power outages that are often blamed on power generators being shut down owing to boiler tube leaks, but a well-established and proven solution is available from engineered solutions specialist and supplier RTS Africa Technologies – accredited agents and service engineers for Procon Boiler Tube Leak Detection, based in the UK. The well-proven Procon technology offers an effective system that can detect leaks that may occur in boiler tubes – long before they grow to the point where they cause a tube burst that results in the boiler having to be shut down.  
February 3, 2023 by

Eskom confirms diesel funding, outlines nuclear fuel options

Struggling power utility Eskom has confirmed that it has secured funding to pay for its diesel requirements for the remainder of the current financial year, which ends on March 31, but has not yet provided full details on the funding mechanism. Speaking during a hastily convened media conference hosted to provide an update on the outlook for the system following a sustained period of Stage 5 and Stage 6 loadshedding, acting generation executive Thomas Conradie revealed that Eskom was operating its open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) extensively and would continue to do so for the rest of February and during March.
February 2, 2023 by

Scatec sells shares in Upington solar plant to Stanlib for R979m

Renewable energy company Scatec has signed an agreement with asset management company Stanlib Infrastructure Fund to sell its 42% equity share in the 258 MW Upington solar power plant for R979-million. “The transaction is in line with our strategy to optimise our portfolio and will release capital for new investments in renewable energy. We are very pleased to secure a value-accretive transaction and are confident that Stanlib will be a solid owner of the asset going forward,” says Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.
February 2, 2023 by

Without controls and oversight, electricity state of disaster ‘open to abuse’ – Cesa

Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) has expressed some reservations with a proposal that a National State of Disaster be declared to tackle South Africa’s long-running electricity crisis. While not rejecting the proposal entirely given the urgent need to address the “serious crisis”, CEO Chris Campbell cautioned that “people with ill-intent” could abuse the declaration, as was the case when a State of Disaster was implemented during the Covid pandemic.
February 2, 2023 by

Epic Outdoor launches solar-powered billboard in Johannesburg

Niche media company Epic Outdoor, which specialises in the development and marketing of large-format, high-impact static and digital out-of-home (OOH) platforms, has launched South Africa’s largest-ever digital billboard site on the N1 highway. The billboard is powered almost entirely by solar power. The property was specifically designed to accept advertising, and at 400 m2, the international-standard light-emitting diode (LED) billboard will be the largest roadside LED billboard in South Africa, the company says.
February 1, 2023 by

OUTA brings application against Nersa to provide full Karpowership licences decisions details

Civil action nonprofit organisation the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has brought an application against the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa’s) demanding the full records of decision to award generation licences to gas-to-power company Karpowership. Nersa has not revealed the financial implications of the deal, estimated to be more than R200-billion for the proposed 20-year contract.
February 1, 2023 by