R30bn distribution backlog poses risk to supply beyond current generation shortfall – Ramokgopa

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has acknowledged that South African cities and towns face the real prospect of ongoing power interruptions even if the balance between supply and demand is restored, owing to significant investment backlogs in the distribution sector. Quoting from research conducted when he was overseeing Infrastructure South Africa, Ramokgopa estimated the backlog to be above R30-billion, given that underinvestment in maintenance and refurbishments had been found to be growing at an average yearly rate of about R2.5-billion from 2011 to 2022.
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Brics energy ministers agree to cooperate to improve access, reduce emissions

Energy Ministers and officials from the Brics bloc met in Sandton on Friday to discuss potential areas of collaboration for improving access to secure and affordable energy, while transitioning to cleaner energy systems. The meeting was chaired by South Africa’s Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, who reiterated his stance that the transition should address both the lowering of emissions and ongoing energy poverty.
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Norway’s Scatec aims to sell power direct to South Africa buyers

Norway’s Scatec ASA, the biggest solar power producer in South Africa, is considering direct sales to consumers who are forced to scramble for reliable electricity amid rolling blackouts. “We are involved in a number of different negotiations, mainly with mining companies,” Scatec Chief Executive Officer Terje Pilskog said in an interview. “We’re also looking at local platforms where we can build out projects and basically sell to multiple off-takers,” which would allow for sales to smaller entities rather than just big miners.
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Ramokgopa sees deal with China to secure solar panel supply

South Africa’s Electricity Minister said he expects to seal a deal with the Chinese government next week that will help solar-power installers in the African nation secure access to panels for projects needed to tackle its energy crisis.

The matter will be discussed on the sidelines of a summit of leaders from the BRICS group of leading emerging-market powers that starts August 22 in Johannesburg, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday.

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Tabling of ERA Bill delayed

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the importance of the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Bill; why the Bill has not yet been tabled in Parliament despite Cabinet having approved its tabling in March; and the implications of this delay.
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Koeberg Unit 1 on track to return to service in early November

Eskom says that the main mechanical work on replacing the steam generators at Koeberg’s Unit 1 has been completed and it will return to service on 3 November.  Koeberg’s Unit 2 will be taken offline on 7 November, slightly later than anticipated two weeks ago, avoiding the problem that both units would be offline simultaneously.
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Eskom making virtual wheeling strides but says national framework still required

Eskom reports that it has made material advances in developing what it calls a ‘virtual wheeling product’ that will allow one or more generators to transact with multiple offtakers, including those supplied by municipal distributors. However, the utility insists that a national wheeling framework is still urgently required so as to standardise the calculation of wheeling charges across all of South Africa’s distributors, with such charges currently varying significantly from distributor to distributor.
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Govt messed up the 9.6GW nuclear project – Mantashe

The 9.6GW nuclear project, under former president Jacob Zuma’s administration, failed because government failed to develop it “systematically” at a “pace and rate” the country could afford, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has said. The minister was speaking during a webinar about the just transition hosted by the Wits Business School on Thursday.
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Coal crucial for alleviating poverty and loadshedding

Despite the negative impacts that coal-fired power stations have on the environment and local populations, localized energy solutions developer NET Energy owner Mike Blenkinsop has stressed that the detrimental impact of removing coal-fired power capacity from the South African electricity system would also be significant, as many rely on the coal industry for work opportunities.
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Johannesburg starts prepaid meter update before it all goes dark next year

City Power has begun its installation and reset of prepaid electricity meters in Johannesburg before they all stop working next year. The electricity entity began visiting customers in residential homes in Hursthill on Wednesday, with 200 City Power agents targeting 4 000 households daily.
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