BII relaunches in South Africa with pledge to support clean energy, inclusive growth

UK development finance institution British International Investment (BII) has launched under its new name in South Africa and has reaffirmed its commitment to invest to accelerate South Africa’s economic dynamism. The institution will deploy its patient, long-term capital toward scaling climate finance and expanding the country’s clean energy capacity, increasing investments into economic transforming sectors and backing productive and inclusive opportunities across the country.
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Cabinet endorses Just Energy Transition Partnership Investment Plan ahead of COP27

Cabinet has officially endorsed the Just Energy Transition Partnership Investment Plan (JETP-IP) following a presentation it received at its latest meeting, held on Wednesday October 19. “After welcoming a presentation on the JETP and the JETP-IP, Cabinet endorsed the
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Loadshedding planned for the weekend

Stage 3 and 2 loadshedding will again be implemented continuously from 16:00 on Friday until 05:00 Monday morning, Eskom said. Stage 3 loadshedding will continue to be implemented until 05:00 on Friday morning. Loadshedding will then be suspended for the day.
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America’s new nuclear power industry has a Russian problem

US firms developing a new generation of small nuclear power plants to help cut carbon emissions have a big problem: only one company sells the fuel they need, and it’s Russian. That’s why the US government is urgently looking to use some of its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium to help fuel the new advanced reactors and kick-start an industry it sees as crucial for countries to meet global net-zero emissions goals.
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SA’s ideal power system could cost as much as R3.1trn

South Africa’s ideal power system – which is cost-effective and has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions – consists of solar PV, wind and battery storage. But the capital requirements for such a system ranges between R2.3-trillion and R3.1-trillion, according to a report by the National Business Initiative (NBI). NBI, in association with shareholder activism association Just Share and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA), released the report Climate Change Investment and Finance Opportunities in The South African Electricity Sector on Wednesday.
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Stage 3 loadshedding extended

More generation units failed at Eskom’s power stations overnight on Thursday, pushing SA into extended Stage 3 loadshedding. “Due to the failure of 2 units at Kendal Power Station and a unit each at Kriel and Arnot power stations, Stage 3 loadshedding has been extended from 05:00 today until further notice,” spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said.
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Off-grid solar expected to supply 624m people with electricity by 2030

The second part of the ‘Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2022’, published on October 19 at the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo in Rwanda, has projected that 624-million people will be electrified by off-grid solar solutions by 2030. The report is the result of a collaboration between the World Bank’s Lighting Global, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (Gogla), the Efficiency for Access Coalition and Open Capital Advisors.
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Gas air heater fire could delay commercial operation at Kusile Unit 5 by up to a year

Eskom told lawmakers on Wednesday that a fire in the gas air heater of Kusile Unit 5, which occurred during a commissioning exercise on September 17, represented a major “setback” and could delay the 800 MW unit’s entry into commercial operation by up to a year. Under the revised scheduled for the much-delayed Kusile build programme, Unit 5 was expected to enter into commercial operation in December 2023.
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Eskom lenders hire PwC as power cuts grip South African utility

Lenders to Eskom Holdings have hired financial advisers as South Africa’s State-owned power utility restructures its business. The banks asked consultants at PwC to assist them with negotiations, said people familiar with the matter, who aren’t authorized to talk about it and asked not to be identified. Representatives for Eskom and PwC didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Kusile fire may delay completion of 800 MW unit by a year, warns De Ruyter

On Wednesday morning, Eskom group CEO André de Ruyter admitted to Parliament that a recent fire at unit 5 of the Kusile Power Station may delay the unit’s completion by a whole year, until December 2024. A month ago, a fire broke out at a gas air heater at unit 5, which is being commissioned and has not yet been synchronised to the grid.
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