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Perdekraal East Wind Farm one step closer to achieving commercial operations

The Perdekraal East Wind Farm project has completed its grid code tests – the final milestone before achieving its commercial operations date (COD). This comes almost two years after construction began at the site.
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Russian nuclear group joins UN corporate social responsibility initiative

Russia’s State-owned nuclear group, Rosatom, has announced that it has joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. This is the world’s biggest corporate social responsibility and sustainable development initiative, having more than 13 000 member companies from more than 160 countries.  “The highest social standards, as well as ecological responsibility and safety principles have historically have a part of the nuclear industry paradigm,” highlighted Rosatom director-general Alexey Likhachev. “Support of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals is a crucial aspect of Rosatom’s corporate strategy.”
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French nuclear group opens new facility in the US

French nuclear group Framatome has announced that it has opened its new uranium recovery facility at its nuclear fuel manufacturing site at Richland in the US state of Washington. The new facility cost $20-million, took three years to build and covers 11 000 ft2 (nearly 1 022 m2). The new facility is equipped with the latest technologies and processes to recover uranium from the fuel manufacturing process. ‘Scrapped’ uranium is recovered from the fuel fabrication feed streams and then converted into uranium dioxide powder. This uranium dioxide is then re-used in the manufacture of nuclear fuel.
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Nersa granted leave to appeal R69bn Eskom equity judgment

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has been granted leave to appeal the July 28 High Court decision relating to the recovery of R69-billion of government equity, which the court judged had been illegally deducted by Nersa from Eskom’s allowable revenue for the period 2019/20 to 2021/22. The injection comprised three R23-billion-a-year tranches and, in her judgment, Judge Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane said that the first R23-billion should be immediately added back during the 2021/22 financial year.
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Matla A Bokone Solar plant now wholly South African-owned

Northern Cape-based Matla A Bokone Solar, near Kimberley, is now wholly South African-owned by Old Mutual Ideas Managed Fund, African Rainbow Energy and Power, Reatile Group, Phakwe Solar and the Cicada Community Trust. The 75 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant spans 200 ha and has over 260 000 solar panels installed and is expected to generate 180 000 MWh/y of much-needed green energy.
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Imperial Wanderers Stadium adds solar as an energy source

The Imperial Wanderers Stadium, in Sandton, is one of the first stadiums in South Africa to “go green” through a partnership with Imperial and the SolarSaver Group to bring solar power to the multipurpose entertainment and lifestyle venue through the installation of a customised 250 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The installation at the stadium will reduce grid reliance and power the 28 000-person capacity venue.
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Ethiopia says GERD dam will begin generating power in next 12 months

Ethiopia’s giant new hydropower dam on the Blue Nile will begin generating power in the next 12 months, the country’s president said on Monday. “This year will be a year where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will start generating power with the two turbines,” Sahle-Work Zewde said in a speech to parliament.
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BlueNova undertakes 1 MWh battery export to Namibia

Energy storage solution company BlueNova Energy has undertaken its first international export of an intelligent Energy Storage System (iESS).

The iESS is a containerised energy unit, which will be installed at the Timbila Nature Reserve in Namibia, as the heart of an offgrid solar-powered system.

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DBSA appoints Rakgate to head Infrastructure Fund

The State-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has, from October 1, appointed Mohale Rakgate as its new group executive for the Infrastructure Fund, which has been established by government to support an accelerated roll-out of economic and social infrastructure. Infrastructure is expected to feature strongly in South Africa’s economic recovery plan, which will be considered by Cabinet following consultations with business, labour and community representative at the National Economic Development and Labour Council in August and September.
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Ethiopia bans flights over dam for security reasons – aviation chief

Ethiopia has banned all flights over its giant new hydropower dam on the Blue Nile for security reasons, the head of its civil aviation authority said on Monday. Ethiopia is locked in a dispute with Egypt and Sudan over its $4-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo has said could threaten its main supply of water.
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