Far-reaching consequences

By the time you read this, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) will be about halfway through its nationwide public hearings into Eskom’s sixth multiyear price determination... 

NTCSA says independent transmission projects must not reflect as balance-sheet liability

The head of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) has confirmed that the entity’s board will insist that any independent transmission projects (ITPs) procured in the coming years... 

Ramokgopa again moots policy interventions to provide relief from Eskom hike

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who is Eskom’s shareholder Minister, has reiterated his opposition to the utility receiving a 36.15% tariff hike next year, while also... 

Remodelled draft IRP to be unveiled next week for limited public consultation

A remodelled Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electricity will be released to the public next week and is expected to deviate materially from the heavily criticised draft IRP2023, which was... 

Two more battery projects achieve financial close, next set of bidders to be announced within weeks

Two more battery storage projects selected as preferred bids under South Africa’s first public procurement bid window (BW1) for the technology have achieved commercial close. The projects have a... 

Affordability and Eskom inefficiencies come under scrutiny as Nersa hearings kick off

The issues of electricity affordability and Eskom’s inefficiencies emerged as recurring themes as the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) kicked off nationwide public hearings in Cape... 

South Africa to seek rise in yearly climate finance pledge to $1.3tr at COP29

South Africa will call for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to be set at $1.3-trillion yearly during the upcoming COP29 climate negotiations, which will be held in Baku,... 

New Just Energy Transition matchmaking platform aiming for R600m in grant disbursements in 2025

A new matchmaking platform to directly link providers of grant funding pledged to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) with domestic beneficiaries is aiming to ensure the... 

Trading in focus

Few would disagree that aggregators and traders will have an important and increasing role in South Africa’s future electricity market. Even in the current environment, where the industry is still... 

AFD approves another €400m JET-linked policy loan to South Africa

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has approved another €400-million policy-based loan to support South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), increasing its approvals to €700-million out of... 

IPP Office confirms ongoing dispute with 13 projects over payment of bid bonds

The head of South Africa’s Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO) has confirmed that it has called the bid bonds for 14 projects that failed to advance to commercial close during the fifth bid... 

Energy council calls for overhaul of public IPP procurement model

The Energy Council of South Africa has called for an overhaul of the way government procures new electricity generation and storage capacity from independent power producers (IPPs), describing the... 

Hearing into Eskom’s far-reaching retail tariff plan set for Dec 18

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has published timelines for the processing Eskom’s retail tariff plan (RTP) application, in which potentially far-reaching changes to the... 

First hot-rolled coil produced at Scaw’s new R5bn Germiston mill

The first hot-rolled coil (HRC) has been produced at Scaw Metals’ Union Junction complex in Ekurhuleni, heralding the reintroduction of competition into South Africa’s flat-steel market. The... 

IPP Office to oversee pilot procurement of private independent transmission projects

Government has confirmed that the Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO), which has overseen the public procurement of more than 7 300 MW of operational renewable-energy capacity since 2011, will... 

‘Deep collaboration’ through regional value chains could unlock rapid African industrialisation

There is potential to catalyse rapid industrialisation in Africa by pursuing policies that  actively leverage both existing demand and continental moves towards trade integration to increase the... 

IPP sourcing tweaks to unlock 10 GW of renewables amid grid pressures and green industrialisation vision mulled

The South African government is considering far-reaching changes to the way public procurement of independent power producer (IPP) generation capacity is being carried out so as to accelerate... 

Surge in Q3 renewables registrations to 2GW may signal market shift from loadshedding to economics

Despite welcome relief from loadshedding in South Africa, a total of 3.3 GW of renewable-energy projects were registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) this year, with... 

Private embrace

Building much-needed public infrastructure and scaling up private sector participation in the delivery of such infrastructure emerged as the key theme of the first Medium-Term Budget Policy... 

Eskom secures R125m grant from AFD to advance Tubatse pumped storage project

Eskom has signed a R125-million grant agreement with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support the development of the proposed Tubatse pumped storage system project, located in the Elias... 

Nersa calls those wanting to make presentations on Eskom’s tariff hike to apply immediately

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has called on stakeholders wanting to make oral presentations on Eskom’s sixth multiyear price determination (MYPD6) to submit their requests... 

Scatec’s new sub-Saharan Africa head keen to advance 5GW project pipeline

The newly appointed head of Scatec’s sub-Saharan Africa business, Alberto Gambacorta, says the group is pursuing a 5 GW pipeline of renewable energy and storage opportunities in the region and... 

Sasol not in ‘sunset’ phase but transition plans cannot outpace market demand – Baloyi

Sasol CEO Simon Baloyi has acknowledged that the group stands at the “threshold” of a potentially difficult energy transition but he has also disputed assertions that the carbon-heavy chemicals and... 

Eskom’s revenue application displays ‘cavalier disregard’ for negative economic and social impacts

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has urged the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to reject Eskom’s latest revenue application, which Outa says “displays a cavalier... 

Green-hydrogen secretariat being set up at IDC as single point of contact for public and private coordination

South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is in the process of setting up the institutional capacity to house the Green Hydrogen Just Energy Transition (JET) Secretariat, which is... 

IPP Office to defend legal attempt by BW5 preferred bidders to prevent payout of bid bonds

The Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office has confirmed that it will oppose a legal attempt by two renewables consortia to prevent the payout of preferred-bidder guarantees called after their... 

Africa’s critical-minerals role highlighted as world moves into ‘Age of Electricity’

With the global energy system moving into the “Age of Electricity”, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has again highlighted the central role of Africa in producing the critical minerals... 

Eskom’s tariff application reflects big rise in subsidy support for energy-intensive firms

A policy decision to allow electricity-intensive companies operating in South Africa to enter into negotiated pricing agreements (NPAs) with Eskom is set to contribute 5.7% to any tariff increase... 

Ongoing adaptation

It is positive that the current framework used by government to procure new generation capacity from independent power producers (IPPs) is under review. These programmes have been struggling to... 

No one entity can meet South Africa’s energy investment needs, report argues

No one entity has the resources, funding or execution capability to address South Africa’s multitrillion-rand energy investment needs, a new PWC report argues, while calling for collaboration... 

In another shock move, Eskom seeks review of Nersa decision to issue four new trading licences

In another surprise move, Eskom has taken the seemingly regressive step of approaching the High Court for a review of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa’s) decision to grant... 

R390bn in electricity investment ‘tangible evidence’ of benefits of reforms

The first phase of Operation Vulindlela, which was set up jointly by the Presidency and the National Treasury to oversee structural economic reforms, unlocked R390-billion worth of investment in... 

National Treasury still consulting on fiscal anchor policy options

The National Treasury reports that technical work is continuing on permanent measures to anchor fiscal policy and ensure debt sustainability and that a discussion document on the controversial... 

New strategies explored to address big Eskom defaulters, as Rand West City shows way under current relief scheme

The National Treasury reports that additional strategies are being explored together with stakeholder departments and Eskom to address the “critical” financial situation of the top 14 Eskom... 

Unlocking private participation in infrastructure, starting with grid, at heart of Godongwana’s ‘pro-growth agenda’

Scaling up private-sector participation (PSP) in the delivery of infrastructure emerged as a central component of the “pro-growth agenda” outlined by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his first... 

Batting away Eskom objections, Nersa approves four new electricity traders and first private import/export licence

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved four new electricity trading licences, the issuance of which had been opposed by Eskom, along with the country’s first-ever... 

South Africa to seek rise in yearly climate finance pledge to $1.3tr at COP29

South Africa will call for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to be set at $1.3-trillion yearly during the upcoming COP29 climate negotiations, which will be held in Baku,... 

New Just Energy Transition matchmaking platform aiming for R600m in grant disbursements in 2025

A new matchmaking platform to directly link providers of grant funding pledged to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) with domestic beneficiaries is aiming to ensure the... 

Business sees third-party rail access as crucial to meeting 250Mt volume target

An initial assessment by business into what it would involve to raise yearly freight rail volumes to 250-million tons, estimates that Transnet’s recovery alone could lift yearly volumes to about... 

Danish Energy Agency backing project to validate wind resources of South Africa’s coal heartland

The Danish and South African governments are partnering on a project to map the wind resources of the coal region of Mpumalanga, where access to the grid for new renewables projects is less...