Eskom says load-shedding to be implemented from 21:00 on Monday

State-owned power utility Eskom has confirmed that Stage 2 load-shedding will again be implemented from 21:00 on February 7 until 05:00 on February 8.

This is owing to units lost each at the Camden, Kusile, Duvha and Matla power stations, while the return of units at Majuba and Kusile power stations are experiencing delays.

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Energy storage to reduce renewable energy intermittency concerns

With advances in storage technology, one of the biggest challenges to realising the full potential of renewables – the intermittent nature of the sources – can be mitigated, offering solar (PV) operators the chance to generate value and make solar power a mainstream option, says PV industry body the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association spokesperson Frank Spencer.

He will moderate an upcoming panel discussion at Solar Power Africa – a three-day conference to be held in Cape Town from February 16 to 18 – which includes expert insights from Davin Chown of Genesis Eco Energy and Kaloyan Dimov of SolarMD.

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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.
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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”.
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Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project progressing in line with 2025 completion date

Zambezi river hydropower authority the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) reports that it is progressing with work on the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project (KDRP), which comprises projects to reshape the plunge pool and refurbish the spillway gates.

The KDRP has been ongoing since 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2025.

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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. 
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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.
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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.

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Load-shedding reduced to Stage 1 on Friday night

Power utility Eskom will reduce load-shedding to Stage 1 from 21:00 on Friday night until 05:00 on Monday morning. This was thanks in part to a return to service of a generating unit at Kusile, and a recovery of emergency power supplies.
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Hudaco weathers challenging period to record solid full-year performance

Automotive, industrial and electrical consumable products supplier Hudaco Industries recorded good results for 2021 despite it having been a challenging period, CE Graham Dunford said on February 4. He mentioned some of the challenges as including the Covid-19 pandemic, the civil unrest in July 2021 and congestion at the Durban port.
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