Eskom not yet in a position to comment on alleged diesel procurement, storage irregularities

State-owned power utility Eskom says its newly established Group Investigations and Security department is in the final stages of completing an investigation into alleged irregularities relating to the procurement of diesel and storage contracts. The investigation remains subject to internal governance, legal and assurance processes, the utility states.
/by

Eskom says ferrochrome offer will leave it financially better off

Eskom board member Clive Le Roux says the State-owned company will be in a better position financially by selling electricity to the ferrochrome smelters at 62c/kWh than if that demand was lost through smelter closures. “The reason for that is as the demand comes down, so the marginal cost of supplying energy into a lower-demand economy comes at a lower marginal price.
/by

Operation Vulindlela reforms progressing despite challenging global economic environment

As Operation Vulindlela continues to move forward, the latest dashboard indicates that 67% of the reform progress is on track, while 7% of the reform work has been completed, 6% facing significant challenges and 20% delayed. With regard to energy reforms, the report indicates that, while 60% of reform progress in the sector remains on track, 20% still requires intervention.
/by

Eskom expects no power cuts over winter months

State utility Eskom said on Wednesday that it expected to implement no power cuts during the southern hemisphere winter months from April to August as its power station fleet had become more reliable. Eskom gave the forecast in a statement on the electricity outlook for the next five months.
/by

South Africa’s pipeline of advanced wind projects stands at 17 GW – GWEC

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) remains optimistic about prospects for ongoing growth in South Africa, stating in its newly released ‘Global Wind Report 2026’ that the country has about 17 GW of advanced projects that could enter construction within the next five years. While acknowledging the grid constraints that are limiting wind installations, the report nevertheless describes South Africa as an attractive market.
/by

As coal chokes Johannesburg, South African scientists launch pollution warning app

Scientists at the University of the Witwatersrand have designed South Africa’s first app to warn residents of pollution levels, as Johannesburg suffers a spike in coal emissions in recent weeks, causing breathing problems and other health issues. Africa’s wealthiest city lies not far from the country’s coal mines and the rotten-egg smell of sulphur has often been present in the air.
/by

R1.4bn Mercury BESS project scheduled to enter into operation in Q4 2027

Independent power producer Mulilo reports that construction of its R1.4-billion Mercury Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project will begin soon and that the facility is scheduled to enter into commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2027. The 76 MW/304 MWh project is the first of five projects awarded to Mulilo during Bid Window 2 of the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme to have advanced to financial close.
/by

Oil persists, coal declines, renewables increase by 2040, but global warming to rise through to …

Even under the low-carbon scenario, modelled by consulting firm Bain & Co in its ‘Global Energy and Materials Outlook 2026’ report, fossil fuel supply constitutes 52% of global primary energy supply by 2040 and the world warms by 2.1 °C by 2100. Even in the most coordinated decarbonisation scenario, climate impacts are severe and require that capital be allocated to resilience strategies, it notes.
/by

Two South Africa unions accept Eskom 7% wage offer, third union rejects it

Two of South Africa’s major labour unions have accepted state power utility Eskom’s 7% wage increase offer, while a third has rejected it and declared a deadlock, demanding a higher raise, union representatives said on Thursday. Eskom began pay talks last year with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and Solidarity, with several rounds of negotiations continuing until this month.
/by

Flexibility key to grid’s future

South Africa’s power grid is entering a high-risk phase as the rapid rise of rooftop solar and renewable energy is starting to outpace the system’s original design capacity. The  transition to cleaner energy is no longer just an opportunity but also represents a technical balancing act that could determine grid stability in the years ahead, highlights global energy technology company Schneider Electric Middle East and Africa power and grid segment VP Taru Madangombe.
/by