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Controversial Eskom exemption withdrawn ‘for now’

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told MPs on Wednesday that he has decided to withdraw the exemption of Eskom from the Public Finance Management Act “for now” to have further consultation with the auditor-general and Eskom’s auditors.  A special government gazette issued by Godongwana on Friday exempted Eskom from reporting in its annual financial statements on wasteful and irregular expenditure that did not arise from corruption.
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2023 Energy Investment Village open for pitches

The Green Energy Africa Summit (GEAS) has announced the launch of the 2023 Energy Investment Village (EIV), a deal-pitching event for African clean-tech starts-ups and energy projects. The EIV is now open for entries from emerging African energy businesses and will culminate in a Lion’s Den-type pitching event during the GEAS to be held in Cape Town on October 11.
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SolarAfrica uses Ford Silverton project as springboard into national solar rollout

Building on its R170-million investment pledge at the South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) in 2020, solar photovoltaic (PV) energy solutions company SolarAfrica has continued to roll out solar PV projects throughout the country. This year’s SAIC is set to take place on April 13 in Sandton.
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Treasury assures transparency, accountability not compromised with Eskom’s financial exemption

Following backlash after a special government gazette was issued by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana on Friday, which revealed that Eskom would be exempt from declaring its irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, Treasury has asserted that transparency and accountability are not compromised with the move. Godongwana has granted a partial exemption to the ailing power utility from disclosing irregular spending in its annual financial statements, for three years.
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Eskom hands hydropower plants back to Uganda as concession ends

Following the end of the Eskom Uganda Limited (EUL) concession on March 31, Eskom has assured that a smooth transfer of assets and interests to State-owned Uganda Electricity Generation Company has taken place.

The EUL came to its natural end after being established in 2002, involving the operation and maintenance of the Kiira and Nalubaale hydroelectric power stations for 20 years.

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Absa to offer its SME clients grants to help them fund solar energy installations

South African banking and investment services group Absa has announced that it is making R50-million available to provide solar energy grants to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are its clients. More specifically, the grants will be offered to SMEs whose commercial properties are financed by the bank. “SMEs make a significant contribution to job creation and economic growth in South Africa,” pointed out Absa Relationship Banking SME Business managing executive Ronnie Mbatsane. “However, in many instances, the operating environment over the past few years has made it very difficult for these vital enablers to grow and thrive.”
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Absa to offer its SME clients grants to help them fund solar energy installations

South African banking and investment services group Absa has announced that it is making R50-million available to provide solar energy grants to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are its clients. More specifically, the grants will be offered to SMEs whose commercial properties are financed by the bank. “SMEs make a significant contribution to job creation and economic growth in South Africa,” pointed out Absa Relationship Banking SME Business managing executive Ronnie Mbatsane. “However, in many instances, the operating environment over the past few years has made it very difficult for these vital enablers to grow and thrive.”
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Eskom hands hydropower plants back to Uganda as concession ends

Following the end of the Eskom Uganda Limited (EUL) concession on March 31, Eskom has assured that a smooth transfer of assets and interests to State-owned Uganda Electricity Generation Company has taken place.

The EUL came to its natural end after being established in 2002, involving the operation and maintenance of the Kiira and Nalubaale hydroelectric power stations for 20 years.

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Cape Town issues largest energy tender to date at 500 MW

In continuing its pursuit of becoming largely independent from the national grid, the City of Cape Town has announced it is issuing its largest energy tender to date at 500 MW.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is confident the city will be the first metro to break free from Eskom’s hold, while ensuring meaningful economic growth and investment in the city.

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Egyptian nuclear regulator OKs construction of the country’s third nuclear reactor

The Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (ENRRA) has issued the construction licence for the third reactor (Unit 3) of the country’s four-reactor nuclear power plant (NPP) at El Dabaa, “World Nuclear News” has reported. El Dabaa will be the country’s first NPP and is located on the Mediterranean coast, some 320 km north west of Cairo. (Egypt currently operates one 22 MWt capacity research reactor.) El Dabaa is being developed and will be operated by the country’s Nuclear Power Plant Authority (NPPA). Its reactors will be to the Russian State-owned nuclear energy group Rosatom’s VVER-1200 design, already in use at Russia’s Leningrad and Novovoronezh NPPs and at Belarus’ Ostrovets NPP.
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