The Presidency does not anticipate that Eskom’s move to reserve scarce grid capacity for independent power producers (IPPs) participating in public procurement bidding rounds will disrupt the more than 130 private IPP projects being advanced outside of those processes to supply private consumers. Speaking during a briefing convened to report back on the reforms implemented under Operation Vulindlela, including those undertaken to address South Africa’s loadshedding crisis, the Presidency’s project management unit head Rudi Dicks lauded the progress being made through the Energy One Stop Shop to support the private projects stimulated by the reform to allow grid-connected private projects of any size to proceed without a licence.
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Municipal debt remains one of Eskom’s biggest challenges, says Eskom CFO Calib Cassim. “At the end of March, we were sitting at around R75-billion of municipal arrears owing to us. That has grown in the last financial year in the region of R15-billion.
Original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) has launched a line of electric heavy-duty trucks, called eActros, as part of its Power Up electric mobility offering.
The fully battery-electric truck range includes the Mercedes-Benz eActros 300, comprising 4 x 2 and 6 x 2 wheelbase configurations, the Mercedes-Benz eActros 400 in a 6 x 2 wheelbase configuration, as well as a truck tractor variant.
In this article, BDO South Africa partner and renewable energy expert Nato Oosthuzen writes shares his insight on where the country is at with loadshedding and the reasons why he is cautiously optimistic about the potential for a brighter future for South Africa.
Cape Town was really taking the lead in the green energy transition, affirmed the city’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, on Tuesday. He was opening the Western Cape trade, tourism and investment promotion agency Wesgro’s Green Hub pavilion at the Enlit Africa 2024 exhibition, in the Cape Town International Convention Centre. He highlighted that the city had a R4-billion budget, over the next three years, to upgrade and maintain its electricity grid, to enable the green energy transition. One of the priorities of this programme was to ensure grid stability, for, without grid stability, green electricity was going to go nowhere.
On day 55 of no loadshedding in South Africa, newly appointed Eskom boss Dan Marokane warns that the country is “not of out the woods yet, but we have visible progress towards where we want to be, and we should acknowledge that”. Speaking at Enlit Africa 2024 held in Cape Town on Tuesday – on day 82 in the hot seat – Marokane said a debate anchored around suspicions on whether the improvement in electricity availability might be linked to the next week’s general elections was of little help.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has invited comment on Eskom’s application to preserve and reserve grid connection capacity for independent power producers (IPPs) participating in public procurement processes implemented in line with Section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA). In its application, Eskom indicates that it is seeking permission to discriminate in favour of public procurement IPP projects, at the expense of private IPP projects.
The Eskom board has given its approval for the continued operation of the Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina power stations to 2030 – a departure from the original decommissioning schedule that has reportedly been endorsed by Cabinet. In response to a question posed by Engineering News during an update on the Energy Action Plan, head of generation Bheki Nxumalo said: “We have just recently received board approval to run three of our stations – that is Hendrina, Grootvlei and Camden – up until 2030.”
Newly formed electricity trader Apollo Africa reports that it is experiencing strong demand from potential customers for the renewable electricity that will be produced from the grid-ready 210 MW Hendrina Wind Farm, being developed by Enertrag in the Mpumalanga province. Apollo Africa, which is majority-owned by JSE-listed Reunert and is in the final stages of securing a trading licence from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Enertrag for the electricity that will be produced at the facility.
Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the significance of the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP’s) vote to pass the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill; if the Bill is likely to face any opposition; and what further actions can be expected once the Bill becomes law.
INDUSTRY NEWS
- Eskom forecasting full-year profit of R10bn, as it digests Nersa decisionJanuary 31, 2025 - 5:05 pm
- Eskom falls painfully short of going 365 days loadshedding-freeJanuary 31, 2025 - 5:05 pm
- African Dawn Investments forms partnership to roll out EV chargers, BESSs across South AfricaJanuary 31, 2025 - 5:05 pm
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