Eskom has offered labour groups an annual wage increase of as much as 6.5% in a fourth round of negotiations that have dragged on for months. The State-owned power utility tabled a three-year deal that include a basic salary increase of 6.5% in July, another 6.5% next year and 6% in 2028, according to a copy of the offer that was confirmed by Eskom. There are also additional increases to the housing benefit and funeral cover.
Anthem CEO James Cumming says there is a “high probability” of a battery energy storage system (BESS) being integrated into its massive 475 MWac (620 MWdc) Notsi solar PV project in the Free State, with the site having already been permitted to include BESS. The South African independent power producer started construction on the R9-billion project in March following financial close, which was concluded on the back of 20-year-plus offtake agreements with electricity traders Discovery Green and NOA.
Eskom will start implementing a tariff increase of 8.76% from April 1, as approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa for the 2026/27 financial year.
This tariff adjustment will apply for customers supplied directly by Eskom.
Netherlands-headquartered tank storage and terminal operator Vopak’s local subsidiary, Vopak South Africa, together with Transnet Pipelines, on March 13 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ), committing to advance gas development in the province.
The MoU comes as Vopak South Africa and Transnet Pipelines finalise commercial agreements and contractor appointments ahead of a final investment decision on the Zululand Energy Terminal (ZET) at the Port of Richards Bay, which will mark South Africa’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal.
Diversified miner South32 has placed its 63.7%-owned Mozal aluminium smelter on care and maintenance, with effect from March 15, after it was unable to secure an affordable power supply agreement for the operation with the Mozambique government, South African power utility Eskom and other stakeholders beyond March. South32 CEO Graham Kerr points out that the company had been in discussions with the various stakeholders for six years.
Power utility Eskom has reached an agreement with the City of Ekurhuleni on a payment plan to settle the outstanding debt owed to the utility by the city. As part of the agreement, the city paid Eskom R1.7-billion of the R3.4-billion owed the utility, with the balance to be paid over 18 months.
Energy and chemicals group Sasol, on March 13, officially opened its new destoning plant, marking a significant milestone in efforts to enhance coal quality and drive improved operational performance. The plant, which achieved beneficial operation in December, forms part of Sasol’s broader plan to strengthen, grow and transform the business.
A new analysis of the crisis being faced by South Africa’s ferrochrome industry as a result of uncompetitive electricity tariffs, outlines a possible renewables-battery-led scenario for meeting the industry’s need for sustainably cheap and greener electricity without triggering an acceleration of what could otherwise be an Eskom death spiral. Titled ‘To Save or Not to Save SA’s Ferrochrome Smelters and Eskom’, the thought-leadership paper has been written jointly by Johan van den Berg, an energy professional with experience in the ferrochrome industry, Frank Spencer, an energy engineer, and Johan Roos, an Advocate in private practice.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC) says yet another protracted power outage has occurred in the Eastern Cape metro, this time owing to the collapse of the Chelsea/Arlington 132 kV lattice tower. “This once again highlights the critical impact of the lack of adequate and routine maintenance of the metro’s electricity infrastructure over many years, and the very serious consequences it has on the lives of communities and the continuity of business operations,” says CEO Denise van Huyssteen.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Wednesday vowed to fight planned job cuts at ferrochrome smelter Samancor, which could affect 2 400 employees even after a more than 50% electricity price reduction meant to avert job losses. State-owned power utility Eskom on February 27 announced the price cut for Samancor and Glencore’s joint venture with Merafe Resources after the distressed firms agreed last December to shelve planned job cuts while negotiating with Eskom.
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