Infrastructure Fund secures R550m grant for Jhb waste-to-energy project

The Infrastructure Fund, a blended finance platform created through a partnership between the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the National Treasury and Infrastructure South Africa, has secured a R550-million grant from Invest International to support the implementation of the City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ’s) Alternative Waste Treatment Technology (AWTT) project. Valued at about R5.7-billion, the AWTT project marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s transition towards sustainable waste management and renewable energy.
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Salga says Eskom’s proposed distribution agency agreements put municipal mandates at risk

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has warned that Eskom’s proposal to implement distribution agency agreements (DAAs) to curb growing municipal debt to the utility could be perceived as a backdoor takeover of municipal electricity distribution functions. Eskom outgoing CFO Calib Cassiem earlier this month proposed the use of DAAs and prepaid supply models as possible solutions to the growing municipal debt problem.
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Security, affordability dominate policy considerations for a global energy transition

Energy security and affordability have become key policy considerations in many regions, particularly as the global energy transition has entered a more turbulent, complex phase, shaped by infrastructure realities and geopolitical risk, as well as decarbonisation ambitions.

Consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG) identifies seven macro shifts and four major implications raised by these shifts in a report called ‘The Energy Transition’s Next Chapter’.

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Additional reforms needed to tackle South Africa’s ‘unemployment catastrophe’, think tank argues

A new report by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) calls for additional policy reforms to tackle the country’s “unemployment catastrophe”, which is excluding more than 12.5-million people who want to work from participating in the economy. As things stand, fewer than four in every ten working age adults is employed, the report shows.
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Installed renewable capacity set to double by 2030 – IEA

Global renewable power capacity is predicted to increase by 4 600 GW, or more than double, by 2030, led by the rapid rise of solar PV, says intergovernmental organisation the International Energy Agency (IEA). Solar PV will account for about 80% of the global increase in renewable power capacity over the next five years, driven by low costs and faster permitting timeframes, the organisation says in its ‘Renewables 2025’ report.
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Despite some immediate CBAM reprieve, South African industry warns of serious potential fallout

A postponement from incorporating indirect carbon emissions into the European Union’s (EU’s) calculation of a product’s embedded emissions under its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will provide something of a short-term reprieve to South African steel and aluminium exporters, which are heavily exposed to the measure. The EU intends implementing CBAM from January 1, 2026, and the postponement will continue until at least 2027.
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ACTOM acquires SGB-SMIT Power Matla

Power transformers and electrical infrastructure company ACTOM has acquired primary transformer manufacturing company SGB-SMIT Power Matla (SSPM), which will enhance ACTOM’s transformer manufacturing capabilities to now include Class 3 units up to 500 MVA/500 kV, increase its production capacity and strengthen its energy sector focus to support regional industrial growth throughout Africa. The acquisition will also generate employment opportunities while developing local skills and establishing domestic manufacturing capabilities to decrease import reliance and boost economic performance, says ACTOM Group CEO Mervyn Naidoo.
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Nuclear regulator has completed public consultation process about extending Koeberg’s life

The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) announced on Monday that it has completed the third and final round of public consultations regarding national electricity utility Eskom’s application for authorisation for Long-Term Operation (LTO) of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant. LTO meant extending the operation of nuclear reactors beyond their original design life. Koeberg had two reactors, known as Unit 1 and Unit 2. “The NNR values the input received during these public hearings,” assured NNR Board Chairperson Protas Phili. “The perspectives and concerns of stakeholders are an important part of our overall assessment, ensuring that the decision we take is informed, transparent, and in the best interests of nuclear safety and radiation protection.”
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Municipal debt, theft could undermine Eskom’s recovery

Eskom is again warning that municipal debt and electricity theft could undermine its nascent recovery. Terence Creamer unpacks this and some of the other key messages emerging from the State-owned entity’s results.  
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Classifying Eskom’s coal fuel costs as fixed would damage SAWEM

Allowing Eskom Generation to classify the primary energy used by its coal power stations as fixed costs will undermine the objective of using the upcoming launch of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) to usher in a competitive supply industry. This stark warning was delivered by Jenna Harris, an experienced energy professional, who was also founder and the former CEO of a licensed electricity trader, during recent regulatory hearings into the National Transmission Company South Africa’s (NTCSA’s) application for a Market Operator licence.
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