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Stefanutti sees opportunities in various sectors, swings to interim profit

JSE-listed construction group Stefanutti Stocks reported a profit of R9.25-million for the six months ended August 31, compared with a loss of R188.48-million posted for the six months ended August 31, 2021. Contract revenue from continuing operations decreased to R2.87-billion for the interim period, from R3.15-billion in the prior comparable period, but operating profit improved to R54.03-million, compared with R8.93-million in the prior period.
November 24, 2022 by

New govt report calls for ‘solid timeframes’ for updating of IRP2019

A new report into the progress government is making in implementing the current five-year Medium-Term Strategic Framework, from 2019 to 2024, has confirmed that energy unavailability represents the single biggest risk to doing business in South Africa, by undermining investor confidence and constraining industrialisation. It also concludes that government should commit to “solid timeframes” for the review of the Integrated Resource Plan of 2019 (IRP2019) so that electricity demand projections and generating scenarios are more aligned to prevailing circumstances, which have changed materially since the publication of the IRP2019.
November 24, 2022 by

Opinion: Koeberg life extension could flip switch on half a trillion rands of economic damage

In this opinion article, energy analyst and commentator Clyde Mallinson warns that, against the backdrop of persistent and erratic loadshedding, the economic cost of shutting the Koeberg nuclear plant for the extended maintenance that is scheduled to begin within days could be R622-billion, or higher. Having raised these concerns directly in a letter* to the new Eskom board, Mallinson outlines in this article how he has arrived at this cost calculation.
November 24, 2022 by

SA sun and wind, unlike Eskom’s coal, can’t be stolen by ‘sophisticated’ crooks, says De Ruyter

Eskom CEO André de Ruyter has slammed critics of the utility’s move towards renewables, away from coal, arguing that their arguments are not only illogical, but akin to wanting to keep SA stuck in the “Stone Age”. “When a technology reaches the end of its life, it doesn’t make sense to continue to perpetuate it. The Stone Age didn’t end because of a lack of stones. The mere fact that we have a lot of stones in SA doesn’t mean we should have more stone tools,” De Ruyter told Daily Maverick’s The Gathering event in Cape Town on Thursday.
November 24, 2022 by

UK, South Africa to establish Partnership on Minerals for Future Clean Energy Technologies

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced this week that the UK and South Africa were establishing a new Partnership on Minerals for Future Clean Energy Technologies to promote increased responsible exploration, production and processing of minerals in South Africa and Southern Africa. Countries in the Southern African region are among the world’s leading producers of vital minerals used in clean technology, including platinum group metals and iridium for hydrogen production and vanadium and manganese for battery storage.
November 24, 2022 by

CSIR solar PV testing lab ensuring quality standards

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR’s) solar photovoltaic (PV) module testing laboratory, built on site at its campus, in Pretoria, boasts equipment, expertise and capacity to undertake accelerated reliability stress testing on PV modules to ensure their quality and reliability.
November 24, 2022 by

AIIM to provide R1.6bn to support establishment of renewable energy platform

One of Africa’s largest infrastructure-focused private equity fund managers African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) has agreed to provide initial equity funding of up to R1.6-billion to support the establishment of a new renewable energy platform NOA Group Holdings to deliver net-zero energy solutions for Africa. The transaction will be financed through a mix of equity provided by AIIM’s South African IDEAS Fund and the latest iteration of AIIM’s dollar-denominated pan-African investment fund AIIF4.
November 23, 2022 by

Another coal truck driver arrested at Camden power station

State-owned Eskom has reported that another coal delivery truck driver has been arrested at the Camden power station, in Mpumalanga, after he was found in possession of subgrade coal destined for use by the power utility.   The truck belongs to a transporter that is contracted to deliver coal to Eskom. Two other truck drivers were arrested two weeks ago at the same power station for being in possession of stolen coal. 
November 23, 2022 by

Coal truck driver apprehended at Eskom’s Camden station a week after ‘sabotage’ arrest

A truck driver was arrested at Eskom’s Camden station on Tuesday for allegedly tampering with coal, just a week after the utility caught a contractor trying to sabotage operations at the same station. The truck belongs to a company contracted to deliver coal to Eskom. Two other drivers were arrested at the same power station while in possession of stolen coal two weeks ago.
November 23, 2022 by