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IEA still expecting coal demand to fall by 2030 despite record 2025 demand

Global coal demand is on course to rise by 0.5% in 2025, reaching a record 8.85-billion tonnes, the ‘Coal 2025’ report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows. Nevertheless, the IEA is still forecasting that demand will fall by 2030, largely owing to shifts in the electricity sector, which currently accounts for two-thirds of total coal consumption.
December 17, 2025 by

Seven international-led consortia prequalify to bid for $1bn inaugural private grid build programme

South Africa has named seven pre-qualified bidders from an initial list of 17 respondents to the prequalification phase of the country’s inaugural independent transmission project (ITP) programme, a request for proposals (RfP) for which will be launched in the second half of 2026. The companies have been prequalified to bid to build 1 164-km of powerlines and associated substation infrastructure across seven preselected corridors, and the projects are expected to have a combined investment value of about $1-billion.
December 15, 2025 by

Two Western Cape wind farms secure offtake, reach financial close

South African energy trader Etana Energy has reported that it will purchase all of the renewable electricity generated by two new wind farms being built by global renewables group Acciona Energía for the first 20 years of operation. The Zen (100 MW) and Bergrivier (94 MW) windfarms, with a combined export capacity of 190 MW, are located between Gouda and Saron in the Western Cape and are expected to produce about 580 GWh/y of renewable electricity.
December 15, 2025 by

Eskom awards contract to develop a Virtual Wheeling platform amid regulatory tensions

Eskom has quietly taken an important step in the rollout of its long-awaited Virtual Wheeling product, awarding a significant contract in the past few weeks to Johannesburg-based Enerweb to build a software platform that will automate and scale the utility’s new wheeling model.

The appointment represents the most tangible move yet toward operationalising the Virtual Wheeling initiative, viewed as central to unlocking wheeling of electricity from independent power producers (IPPs) to smaller and low-voltage customers connected either to the Eskom distribution network or embedded within the distribution networks of municipalities in good standing with Eskom.

December 15, 2025 by

Nersa appoints three new regulators

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has appointed Willibrod Majola and Nomfundo Maseti as full-time regulator members for five years following Cabinet’s approval.

Nersa has also appointed Ria Govender as part-time regulator members for four years.

December 12, 2025 by

New Eskom unbundling strategy approved

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the approval of a revised unbundling plan for Eskom and the potentially far-reaching implications for both the State-owned company and the framework governing the transition to a more competitive market structure,
December 12, 2025 by

S Africa targets strategic, efficient builds for new transmission lines

For the national grid to facilitate increased renewable power generation, the Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) has affirmed that about 14 000 km of new transmission lines are required over the next decade, with DEE Deputy-Minister Samantha Graham-Maré asserting that transmission remains a critical issue for the country. Traditionally, State-owned power utility Eskom has set itself yearly targets of about 200 km of new transmission lines, and this remains part of its planning, with this year’s target being about 174 km.
December 12, 2025 by

Transmission projects target 37 GW capacity by 2030

Aligned with the 2024 Transmission Development Plan (TDP), State-owned power utility Eskom subsidiary National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) currently has 75 projects – at various stages of development from procurement to execution that will enable about 37 GW of new generation connection capacity by 2030, says NTCSA CEO Monde Bala. These projects include the construction of 3 000 km of transmission lines, of which 455 km have already been completed, along with about 28 000 MVA of transformer capacity, 5 800 MVA of which has been commissioned.
December 12, 2025 by

Company advances flagship renewables build

Licensed electricity trader Discovery Green, the energy platform of the Discovery Group, continues to advance two of South Africa’s largest private-sector renewable-energy developments, marking a significant milestone in the scaling of utility-level clean power for corporate offtakers. The projects, which achieved financial close this year, include the 150 MW Overberg Wind Farm, in the Western Cape, and the 300 MW Tournee Solar Park, in Mpumalanga. They represent the first phase of a broader procurement programme intended to strengthen private-sector participation in creating new generation capacity, thereby supporting national decarbonisation objectives.
December 12, 2025 by