Entries by

Koeberg emergency siren inadvertently activated during routine maintenance

Power utility Eskom on May 28 confirmed that an emergency siren was inadvertently activated during routine maintenance and assured the public that there was no emergency. “At approximately 14:00 today, Siren 913 – located in the green belt opposite West Coast Village in Sunningdale – was inadvertently activated during routine maintenance. The siren emitted a brief alarm tone,” the utility noted in a statement to the public.
May 29, 2025 by

Lawmakers updated on plans to procure first independent transmission projects

The Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office has confirmed that a request for qualification will be issued in July in preparation for the first phase of the procurement of independent transmission projects (ITPs), a tender for which is scheduled to be launched in November. The IPP Office has been given the responsibility to oversee the initial procurement and a Ministerial determination for the first phase of the programme was Gazetted on March 28 for the procurement of 1 164 km of 400 kV transmission lines across seven projects in three provinces, together with 2 630 MVA of transformers.
May 28, 2025 by

Schneider Electric launches 2025 Go Green competition

Energy management and automation company Schneider Electric is inviting students and young entrepreneurs to present innovative, affordable and sustainable energy solutions for its 2025 Go Green competition. This year’s theme, Renewable Energy for Life & Livelihood, focuses on solar-powered agriculture, including pre/post-harvest activities, storage and processing; and solar-powered microbusinesses in sectors such as retail, services, refrigeration, manufacturing and production.
May 28, 2025 by

DBSA invests R100m into EV charging station company

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has made a R100-million equity investment into electric vehicle (EV) charging station company CHARGE, which aims to develop a network of ultra-fast charging stations along South Africa’s national roads. The company opened its first off-grid charging service station late last year in Wolmaransstad, in the North West province, and is aspiring to develop 120 solar-powered charging stations on the country’s major highways at 150-km intervals.
May 26, 2025 by

Necsa is positioning itself to support South Africa’s future nuclear energy programme

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) supports the country adopting small modular reactors (SMRs) and believes that it can play a key role in this process. So affirms Necsa Group Executive: Power and Industry Sengiphile Simelane, in an exclusive interview with Engineering News. Necsa is mandated to conduct research in the sphere of nuclear energy. Based at Pelindaba, west of Pretoria, Necsa owns and operates the SAFARI-1 research reactor, which is used for both research and the production of radioisotopes (for industrial but especially medical use).
May 23, 2025 by

Gas should not been seen only as a transitional energy source – Ramokgopa

Africa’s natural gas resources should be fully exploited, South African Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa affirmed on Tuesday. He was delivering the keynote address at the Enlit Africa 2025 conference, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. He also rejected the idea that gas was to be seen only as a transitional source of energy, on the way to a net-zero carbon emissions energy future. “Gas is not a transitional source of energy,” he asserted. “Gas is a destination.”
May 21, 2025 by

South Africa will reactivate the PBMR small modular reactor project

South Africa was lifting its Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) out of care and maintenance, Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosienstsho Ramokgopa confirmed, almost in passing, on Tuesday. He was delivering the keynote address at the Enlit Africa 2025 conference, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The PBMR was a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR). It was being developed by South Africa from 1994 (although the preliminary work predated that year) to 2009, when it was effectively terminated, through being reduced to a care and maintenance status. The scientists and engineers who had worked on the project scattered to the winds, with anecdotal reports indicating that at least some of them emigrated, to work on other countries’ nuclear projects, although others did remain in South Africa.
May 20, 2025 by

South Africa still committed to coal, and to upgrading the national grid

South African Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa on Tuesday reaffirmed the country’s commitment to coal-based energy. He was delivering the keynote address at the Enlit Africa 2025 conference, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. “South Africa is sitting on significant coal reserves,” he pointed out. “We’re not going to abandon coal.”
May 20, 2025 by