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Former Eskom nuclear head to lead National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute

Eskom’s former chief nuclear officer, Riedewaan Bakardien, will take up the position of CEO of the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI) on April 1. Bakardien has more than 20 years’ experience in the nuclear industry, where he has held various senior leadership roles, most recently as senior VP at Ontario Power Generation, in Canada, where he oversaw training, security, emergency management, and innovation for the nuclear fleet.
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Zambia’s CEC to invest $500m in power projects to increase transmission

Zambia’s Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) will invest $500-million over the next two years to increase its solar power output and double the capacity of a power transmission line to Democratic Republic of Congo, a senior company official said on Monday. CEC owns the sole power transmission line between Congo and the Southern African Power Pool.
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TIA names 2025 Cleantech Innovation Programme – South Africa winner

Government incubation organisation the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) has selected AB Farms, led by entrepreneur Mogale Maleka, as the winner of the 2025 Global Cleantech Innovation Programme – South Africa (GCIP-SA) for the company’s hydroponic farming systems that function without continuous water or electricity supply. AB Farms was one of eight startups that received several months of mentorship, technical training and business development from TIA and its partners the UN Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which provides the funding.
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South Africa adds 800 MW capacity unit to national grid

South Africa’s state electricity utility added an 800 MW unit at the Kusile Power Station to the national grid, amid ongoing efforts to boost generation and bring an end to scheduled outages. The addition of Kusile’s Unit 6 brings Eskom closer to its objective of adding 2 500 MW of new capacity by the end of March.
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Phased approach allows for diversified energy mix

South Africa must establish a diversified energy mix, which entails responsibly leveraging its regional endowments, such as coal and gas, while scaling up cleaner energy sources in a phased approach with realistic timelines, according to a White Paper, titled ‘Energy security and sustainability: Striking the South African balance’ by management consultancy Kearney. The country’s energy transition requires careful consideration of socioeconomic factors and pragmatic solutions to address its energy security crisis while supporting industrialisation and development, says Kearney partner and co-author Prashaen Reddy.
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Hurdles hampering transition’s progress

South Africa has made significant progress in boosting its renewable-energy sector; however, several issues need to be addressed to facilitate the country’s transition away from coal-dominated electricity supply while maintaining energy security and economic stability, says independent power producer (IPP) ENGIE South Africa business development head Léa Giroux. South Africa remains heavily reliant on coal, which currently generates about 80% of the country’s electricity, although the many coal-fired power stations are ageing and becoming increasingly unreliable. This unreliability, and the environmental challenges associated with coal-fired power stations, make a diversified energy mix essential.
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Policy coherence seen as key to scaling up SA’s circular economy

With increasing pressure being placed on South Africa’s municipal dumps amid growing waste generation, promoting a circular economy could provide valuable solutions while potentially creating new business opportunities. Although South Africa has relevant policies in place regarding circularity – such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, which require producers to take responsibility for their packaging waste throughout its life cycle – policy coherence and accountability are needed to ensure successful implementation.
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Risks loom despite loadshedding pause – Energy Council

Industry association Energy Council of South Africa is confident that South Africa will remain out of sustained loadshedding for the next three to four years, owing to the rapid growth in electricity generation. However, risks remain, particularly State-owned utility Eskom’s fleet reliability and any “catastrophic failures” as have been seen in the past.  
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US stalls $2.6bn climate finance package for South Africa

he US is stalling the distribution of $2.6-billion in climate finance to South Africa, stoking concerns the money might be blocked outright, people familiar with the situation said. At a meeting earlier this month, US representatives prevented the World Bank-linked Climate Investment Funds from approving a $500-million disbursement to South Africa, two of the people said, asking not to be identified because a public announcement hasn’t been made on the matter.
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Eskom implements Stage 2 loadshedding after loss of five generation units

Power utility Eskom implemented Stage 2 loadshedding from 18:25 on March 19, stating that it would remain in effect until 05:00 on March 20. This followed the loss of five generation units before the evening peak period.
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