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Stage 2 load-shedding resumes on Monday night

Power utility Eskom has announced that it will implement Stage 2 load-shedding from 21:00 on Monday night until 05:00 on Tuesday. “Further breakdowns could force Eskom to implement load-shedding sooner or to extend the load-shedding beyond Tuesday morning.” This is due to more breakdowns in generating units, with total breakdowns now amounting to more than 16 000 MW. “Since midnight we have lost the unit each at Camden, Kusile, Duvha and Matla power stations. Furthermore, the return of a unit at Kusile and two units at Majuba power stations are delayed,” Eskom said.
February 8, 2022 by

Eskom insists it has ‘shovel-ready projects’ amid questions over maturity of pipeline

Electricity utility Eskom insists that it has a pipeline of generation, transmission and distribution projects that it could start implementing immediately should it secure access to “finance, human resources and expedited regulatory approvals”. During a recent interview, Andre de Ruyter told Engineering News that the lion’s share of the $8.5-billion in climate finance offered to South Africa should, once converted into transactions, be directed to Eskom, largely because the utility’s projects were at a more advanced stage than the alternatives and were “in some instances, shovel-ready and good to go”.
February 8, 2022 by

Vague Covid-19 policy a hindrance to economic recovery

Diversified professional services firm Ernst & Young Africa CEO Ajen Sita has criticised “vague” government policy on tackling Covid-19, calling for more clarity to steer South Africa out of crisis and towards economic recovery. “We need to decide whether we are going for population immunity – which we may have already nearly achieved – or ramp up vaccination efforts once again. We need a clear strategy, and we need it soon,” he said in a statement on February 7. 
February 8, 2022 by

DMRE’s gas ambitions opposed by activists

Nonprofit shareholder activism and responsible investment organisation Just Share has questioned the wisdom of pursuing a natural gas strategy in South Africa. The organisation has made several technological and economical arguments opposing the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) Gas Masterplan Basecase Report.
February 8, 2022 by

EAIF lends Alten $35m for Kesses solar plant in Kenya

The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) has provided a $35-million loan to Alten Kenya Solarfarms – the Kenyan business of the Alten Group – for the $87-million 40 MW Kesses solar generation facility to be built near Eldoret in the Rift Valley region of Kenya.

The first part of the loan, which is repayable over 15 years, was disbursed in late December.

February 8, 2022 by

Nuclear Regulator confirms Koeberg safety compliance and clarifies upgrade process

South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has reported that the country’s (and Africa’s) only operating nuclear power plant (NPP), at Koeberg near Cape Town, had for the past decade complied consistently with regulations concerning occupational exposure and public doses of radiation. The NNR was created in 1999 and exists to protect people, property and the environment from nuclear damage. It does so through the establishment of regulatory practices and safety standards optimised for South Africa, and through oversight and assurance activities. Koeberg is owned and operated by the country’s national State-owned electricity utility, Eskom. It is composed of two reactors, known simply as Units 1 and 2. Unit 1 entered operation in 1984 and Unit 2 in 1985. Each unit has a net generating capacity of 930 MWe. The NPP’s current licensing term will expire on July 21, 2024.
February 8, 2022 by