Actom secures Selebi-Phikwe solar plant contract

Electromechanical equipment manufacturer Actom High Voltage has secured a contract to supply and deliver high-voltage equipment for the Selebi-Phikwe solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, which is currently under construction in Botswana. The company will provide equipment for the first 60 MW phase of the plant. The 120 MW solar PV facility is being developed by the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) and renewable energy company Scatec.
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Mozambique’s $80bn energy overhaul to tap Zambezi’s power

Mozambique is seeking to become one of Africa’s biggest hydropower producers and launch a green hydrogen industry. The government plans to add 14 000 MW of hydropower capacity, with the bulk of that developed between 2030 and 2040, the government said in a 60-page Energy Transition Strategy seen by Bloomberg. A hydrogen program will be set this year, it said in the document, which hasn’t been released publicly.
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Standard Bank not expecting major fiscal slippage despite election pressures

Standard Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim does not anticipate “material fiscal slippage” in the 2024 Budget, despite expenditure pressures associated with the upcoming elections, as well as calls for additional support for Transnet, whose underperformance alongside ongoing power cuts and water disruptions continue to throttle growth and investment. Delivering his yearly economic outlook, Ballim acknowledged that there was likely to be some fiscal slippage relative to the forecasts provided by Finance Minster Enoch Godongwana in his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement.
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Jan Oberholzer appointed director of renewable energy project developer JER Group

Sub-Saharan Africa renewable energy project developer Jearrard Energy Resources (JER) Group has appointed former Eskom executive Jan Oberholzer as nonexecutive director. Oberholzer brings a wealth of knowledge of the energy sector in Africa to JER, continuing to strengthen the capability and knowledge base of the board.
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Zero Carbon Charge signs R1bn deal to bring EV superchargers to South Africa

Renewable energy-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station company Zero Carbon Charge has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese energy storage systems manufacturer Shanghai Magic Power Tech Co, also known as Magic Power, and its local partner Greencore Energy Solutions, to build and import the first-of-its kind integrated supercharging systems for its 120 renewable charging stations currently being rolled out across South Africa. This will allow customers at Zero Carbon Charge’s off-grid, solar-powered charging stations to charge any EV at its maximum charging rate.
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Nersa makes far-reaching changes to tariff rules, but implementation timing uncertain

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved far-reaching changes to the way electricity tariffs will be set in future, but it could still take some time before the rules are fully implemented. Nersa approved the new Electricity Price Determination Rules (EPDR) on December 14, following a consultation phase, which was initiated in 2021 to find an alternative to the current multiyear price determination (MYPD) framework that has been used to set Eskom tariffs since 2006.
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Petrol, diesel prices to go up by more than 70c/ℓ on Wednesday

Both 93 and 95 unleaded petrol (ULP) and lead replacement petrol (LRP) are going to cost an additional 75c/ℓ from February 7. The cost of diesel is also going to increase. For 0.05% sulphur diesel, consumers can expect to pay an additional 73c/ℓ at the pumps and for 0.005% sulphur diesel an extra 70c/ℓ.
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Energy Council welcomes IRP extension, calls for strong reform message in SoNA

Energy Council CEO James Mackay has welcomed the decision of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to extend the comment period for the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2023 by a month and has also called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to use his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) emphasise government’s commitment to “open and robust debate on national energy policy”. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe used his Mining Indaba address on February 6 to announce that the IRP comment period had been extended to March 23 from February 23 to “allow maximum participation in this process”. However, he refrained from initiating public hearings, which some commentators have called for given serious concerns over the assumptions and modelling used to produce the draft document.
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SAPVIA CEO appointed to Global Solar Council

South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) CEO Dr Rethabile Melamu has been appointed as a board member of the international solar power industry organisation Global Solar Council. She will serve a two-year term of office with the council.
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Clear commitment to reform implementation needed in SoNA – Mavuso

Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to show a clear commitment to the hard work of reform implementation during his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Thursday evening. South Africa’s electricity crisis remains a significant constraint, despite some progress having been made, and its logistics system has rapidly become a disaster for the economy, requiring urgent intervention, Mavuso said in her latest weekly newsletter on February 5.
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