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Ramokgopa again moots policy interventions to provide relief from Eskom hike

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who is Eskom’s shareholder Minister, has reiterated his opposition to the utility receiving a 36.15% tariff hike next year, while also indicating that various policy interventions are being considered to reduce the increase. Speaking at a briefing in Pretoria that coincided with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa’s) nationwide public hearings into Eskom’s sixth multiyear price determination (MYPD6) application, Ramokgopa expressed confidence that the hike would be “significantly” lower than what Eskom was requesting.
November 20, 2024 by

Remodelled draft IRP to be unveiled next week for limited public consultation

A remodelled Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electricity will be released to the public next week and is expected to deviate materially from the heavily criticised draft IRP2023, which was published for public comment in January. Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the revamped document has taken account of changes in the electricity supply industry since the publication of the draft IRP2023, as well as the 4 338 stakeholder comments received on the document, including 136 “substantive” comments.
November 20, 2024 by

Group of nations make COP29 pledge on no new unabated coal power

A total of 25 countries and the EU are pledging to commit to no new unabated coal power in their next round of national climate plans, the latest global pledge aimed at curbing use of the fuel. Signatories to the agreement, outlined during the ongoing COP29 climate talks in Baku, include Canada, the UK and Germany, according to a statement published Wednesday. China and India, the world’s largest coal consuming nations, aren’t among backers so far, and neither is the US.
November 20, 2024 by

Zimbabwe power tariff hike sparks 3 000 MW of energy investments

Zimbabwe’s decision to adopt tariffs that reflect costs has sparked a wave of investments in the energy sector that will help ease its power crisis. Since the switch in December last year, energy investments have sharply increased with 3 000 MW of projects currently under development, according to Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority chairperson Sydney Gata.
November 20, 2024 by

Namibia aims to raise $450m to boost power generation

Namibia’s state-owned electricity utility plans to raise $450-million by selling bonds in the country and raising development bank loans to help the southwest African nation boost power generation. Namibia Power Corp. said it has signed loan agreements totaling €166-million ($175-million) with KfW and Agence Francaise de Developpement, the development banks of Germany and France, and is working on a loan of an unspecified size from the World Bank.
November 20, 2024 by

Summit underscores importance of just energy transition, C&I industry

It is imperative that South Africa and industry decarbonises and, with the transition towards more sustainable forms of energy already occurring, stakeholders should focus on how the transition is implemented in a just manner at the pace that is required, and the steps and strategies this would entail. This was highlighted by Seriti Resources Group CEO Mike Teke, delivering the keynote address during the first day of the C&I Solar+Storage Summit, being held this week in Sandton.
November 19, 2024 by

NOA Group to supply Old Mutual Real Estate portfolio with wheeled renewable power

Property fund Old Mutual Real Estate Holding Company (OMREHC) has entered into an energy supply agreement with commercial and industrial renewable energy company NOA Group Trading to provide electricity for its property portfolio. The wheeling transaction will deliver more than 90% renewable energy penetration, thereby enhancing OMREHC’s renewable energy strategy, which is aimed at decarbonising and reducing energy costs through this bespoke offering of blended solar PV and wind energy.
November 19, 2024 by

Two more battery projects achieve financial close, next set of bidders to be announced within weeks

Two more battery storage projects selected as preferred bids under South Africa’s first public procurement bid window (BW1) for the technology have achieved commercial close. The projects have a combined investment value of R4.7-billion and increase to 360 MW/1 440 MWh the amount of utility-scale storage capacity to have reached the milestone after two other projects reached financial close in mid-October.
November 19, 2024 by

Eskom once again urges prepaid metered customers to recode their meters before Nov 24

State-owned power utility Eskom is once again urging all prepaid electricity customers to update their meters immediately to avoid an unexpected loss of electricity after the deadline of November 24. It is critical that all customers, including those who have not bought electricity in the past six months or more, to buy electricity tokens from authorised vendors by November 24 to prevent the meter from becoming inoperable, losing power and incurring replacement costs, says Eskom Distribution group executive Monde Bala.
November 19, 2024 by