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Transmission & Distribution News

Global alliance aiding realisation of S Africa’s JET

16th February 2024 The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) recognises the important role the African Energy Indaba has played over the years as a platform for key conversations on the green energy transition, energy access, and new solutions and technologies for the continent, comments GEAPP South... →

Former IPP Office head now sees definite role for private sector in grid development

By: Terence Creamer 15th February 2024 The former head of South Africa’s Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office, Karen Breytenbach, believes there is a compelling case for the injection of private sector investment to accelerate the roll-out of new electricity grid infrastructure, as has been proposed by Electricity Minister... →

Innovative 128 MW solar-wind-battery project achieves financial close

By: Terence Creamer 14th February 2024 The 128 MW Oya Energy hybrid project, which will combine variable renewables and batteries to produce dispatchable electricity daily between 5:00 and 21:30 for injection into South Africa’s loadshedding-prone grid, reached financial close on Tuesday, February 13. The project was named as a... →

IRP deadline extension an opportunity for more renewables ambition in line with SoNA vision - SAWEA

By: Terence Creamer 12th February 2024 The recent extension of the deadline for responses to the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023) presents an opportunity to incorporate the vision presented by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) for more renewable energy, the South African Wind Energy... →

SAWEA CEO Niveshen Govender

Business stakeholders find ‘election-oriented’ SoNA wanting

By: Marleny Arnoldi 9th February 2024 Business stakeholders agree that President Cyril Ramphosa was right to emphasise economic reforms in his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on February 8, as these are critical to turning around the country’s dire economic performance and unemployment. Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), for... →

South Africa's electricity and logistics crises remain a concern for business

Loadshedding, logistics, water crises key themes of SoNA 2024

By: Creamer Media Reporter 9th February 2024 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses some of the key themes that emerged during President Cyril Ramaphosa's final State of the Nation Address of the current administration and how these affect the economy and business. →

Loadshedding, logistics, water crises key themes of SoNA 2024

Ramaphosa moots ‘innovative investment models’ for grid as he reiterates support for power and logistics reform

By: Terence Creamer 8th February 2024 President Cyril Ramaphosa used his final State of the Nation Address ahead of upcoming elections to reiterate government’s commitment to reforms in the country’s failing power and logistics sectors, including one that would open the electricity transmission sector to private investors. Speaking... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

AMSA sees plausible pathway for salvaging longs unit, but ready to reverse closure deferral if urgent progress is not made

By: Terence Creamer 8th February 2024 Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has deferred the wind-down of its long-products business by six months amid widespread concern regarding the detrimental impact of the closure on downstream industry and jobs and following consultations with government and other affected... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Kobus Verster

Actom secures Selebi-Phikwe solar plant contract

By: Schalk Burger 8th February 2024 Electromechanical equipment manufacturer Actom High Voltage has secured a contract to supply and deliver high-voltage equipment for the Selebi-Phikwe solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, which is currently under construction in Botswana. The company will provide equipment for the first 60 MW phase of... →

Clear commitment to reform implementation needed in SoNA – Mavuso

By: Schalk Burger 5th February 2024 Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to show a clear commitment to the hard work of reform implementation during his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Thursday evening. South Africa's electricity crisis remains a... →

Locomotives operating on Transnet Freight Rail's rail lines

Nersa formally publishes licences for new grid company

By: Terence Creamer 2nd February 2024 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has officially published on its website the three licences required for the operationalisation of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), having approved their transfer from Eskom to the NTCSA last year. The NTCSA is in the... →

DMRE to remodel draft IRP 2023 in light of new information, curtailment plans

By: Schalk Burger 1st February 2024 Many of the submissions the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has received from the first round of public engagements about the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023) in January have revealed new sources of data to consider in the plan’s modelling, DMRE energy planning... →

Power lines with the Kendal power station in the background

New renewables platform Lyra Energy poised to change South Africa's energy landscape

By: Schalk Burger 31st January 2024 Renewable energy company Scatec, financial services firm Standard Bank and asset management company Stanlib have established new renewable energy platform Lyra Energy to offer a low-risk, flexible commercial proposition to the private sector in South Africa. Lyra is a private power solution that... →

Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog

Eskom backs Necom-level consultation on use of electricity tokens to upscale virtual wheeling

By: Terence Creamer 30th January 2024 Eskom Distribution MD Monde Bala has signalled the utility’s willingness to consider the integration of an Electricity Credit Token (ECT) financial instrument to accelerate the implementation of a virtual wheeling model that allows multiple generators to transact with multiple customers in... →

Eskom Distribution MD Monde Bala

IPPO ‘engaging’ with Eskom on implications of new curtailment rules for current renewables bid window

By: Terence Creamer 30th January 2024 The Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO) reports that it is engaging with Eskom on its newly released curtailment addendum to the latest Generation Connection Capacity Assessment (GCCA 2025) – through the addendum 3 470 MW of additional connection capacity for wind generators has been... →

Cape Town’s Copperheads unit recovers 53 km of stolen cable, 1.2 t of metal

By: Irma Venter 29th January 2024 The City of Cape Town’s (CoCT’s) specialist metals theft unit, the Copperheads, has recovered more than 53 km of stolen cable during the last six months of 2023. The unit says it executed 404 autonomous operations, 1 260 scrapyard inspections, 1 777 hotspot patrols and responded to 277 complaints... →

Eskom’s new curtailment addendum unlocks 3 470 MW of grid for wind in Western and Eastern Cape

By: Terence Creamer 27th January 2024 Eskom has taken a major step in unlocking much-needed grid capacity for wind projects in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces by publishing the highly-anticipated curtailment addendum to its latest Generation Connection Capacity Assessment, or GCCA 2025. The addendum, which has been published... →

Substation with wind turbines in the background

Govt proposes new entity to procure transmission infrastructure

By: Creamer Media Reporter 26th January 2024 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses government's proposal to set up a dedicated entity to procure new electricity transmission infrastructure from the private sector and the role government expects the private sector to play in the area of the grid. →

Govt proposes new entity to procure transmission infrastructure

Firm hails efficiency plan’s stance on electric motors

26th January 2024 Plan to apply the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for low-voltage electric motors in South Africa have been hailed by solutions provider WEG Africa as an exciting step toward energy efficiency and a lower carbon future for the industry. The Department of Trade, Industry and... →

Grid constraint likely to translate to a renewables price premium, Magoro warns

By: Terence Creamer 24th January 2024 Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office head Bernard Magoro has signalled that the projects bid during the current seventh renewables procurement bid window could carry a price premium, as bidders adjust to the spatial realities that have arisen as a result of the country’s prevailing grid... →

Creamer Media's SA Energy Outlook 2024 Webinar was facilitated by Paul O'Flaherty (bottom right). The panel members were (from top left) James Mackay, Bernard Magoro, Mamiki Matlawa, Vaughan Hattingh and Compton Saunders.

Africa’s flatlining electricity trajectory requires urgent intervention – IEA

By: Terence Creamer 24th January 2024 A new International Energy Agency (IEA) report on electricity highlights that per person electricity demand across Africa has been stagnant for three decades, making the continent a worrying outlier in electricity demand trends. As of 2023, 600-million people, or more than 40% of the African... →

Photo by IEA
Big divergence as African electricity demand flatlined over the past three decades and India and South East Asia's surged

Independent transmission project office to be set up to procure new grid using build, operate, transfer model

By: Terence Creamer 23rd January 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that government plans to establish an independent transmission project office, located either at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) or the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), to procure new transmission capacity using a build,... →

DBSA to support participation of black firms, communities in bid windows for renewables, batteries and gas

By: Terence Creamer 22nd January 2024 State-owned development financier the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is gearing up to play a role in the public procurement of 7 615 MW of new electricity generation and storage capacity, including by facilitating participation for black-owned entities and communities. The DBSA has,... →

Reliable electricity must be prioritised over transition

19th January 2024 The sheer urgency of addressing energy insecurity in Africa demands that a reliable grid is prioritised first and other energy concerns, such as transitioning to renewable-energy sources, second, says energy advocacy group African Energy Chamber executive chairperson NJ Ayuk. Ayuk critiques... →

DOUBLE STANDARDS Western leaders often pressure African countries to transition to renewable energy without considering the realities of these countries

Manufacturer poised to support Transmission Development Plan

19th January 2024 Electromechanical equipment manufacturer ACTOM High Voltage Equipment, a division of the ACTOM Group, is preparing to participate in State-owned electricity utility Eskom’s Transmission Development Plan (TDP). South Africa's electricity landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven... →

An image of ACTOM High Voltage Equipment divisional CEO Casbah Zwane

CASBAH ZWANE ACTOM High Voltage has started looking at expanding the manufacturing capacity of its local factories by about 40%

Hydrogen implementation remains limited

By: Nadine Ramdass 19th January 2024 Following global trends, discussions in South Africa on hydrogen, its production and use have gained momentum, although actual implementation remains limited, says power technology provider Cummins Africa and Middle East hydrogen and fuel cell business director Alan Zhao. Aligned with other... →

An image of Cummins Africa and Middle East hydrogen and fuel cell business director Alan Zhao

ALAN ZHAO A nuanced approach to hydrogen production is needed in the low-carbon energy transition

Loadshedding could increase in 2024

By: Nadine Ramdass 19th January 2024 Loadshedding is expected to continue in 2024, possibly at even higher levels than those of 2023, says tertiary institute Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES) chief engineer Monique le Roux. State-owned power utility Eskom struggled to improve its... →

An image of Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES) chief engineer Monique le Roux

MONIQUE LE ROUX Substantial investment is necessary to upgrade the transmission grid to accommodate large amounts of renewable power

Work under way to identify next battery sites amid bidding at eight North West substations

By: Terence Creamer 17th January 2024 Independent Power Producer Office head Bernard Magoro reports that work is under way to identify substation sites for the upcoming third Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) round while progressing with the second bid window (BW2) for 615 MW/2 460 MWh... →

Aerial view of Eskom's Hex battery energy storage facility

Independent Power Producer head Bernard Magoro provides an overview of the IPP’s BES Bid Window 2.

Grid constraints cast shadow over South Africa’s seventh renewables bid window

By: Terence Creamer 17th January 2024 South Africa’s grid constraints are continuing to cast a shadow over the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the seventh bidding round for which was launched in December for 3 200 MW of onshore wind and 1 800 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) after months of... →

Independent Power Producer Office head Bernard Magoro

Fast-growing ENGIE South Africa will consider grid investments under right conditions

By: Terence Creamer 16th January 2024 Global independent power company ENGIE, which is prioritising the South African electricity market for significant organic and acquisitive growth, is also open to participating in grid investments should government move to open the market to private sector participation. ENGIE South Africa CEO... →

ENGIE South Africa CEO Mohamed Hoosen

Proposed new IRP met with some skepticism

By: Creamer Media Reporter 12th January 2024 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the background to the publication for public comment of the latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP); the main changes in the IRP 2023, compared with the IRP 2019; the initial reaction to the new IRP; and the public commentary process. →

Proposed new IRP met with some skepticism

No plan yet for public hearings into gas-heavy draft IRP 2023

By: Terence Creamer 10th January 2024 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has belatedly released the background technical information that has been used to inform the assumptions included in the draft Integrated Resource Plan of 2023 (IRP 2023) and will host two virtual workshops this month to provide greater... →

The scaled-up gas-to-power capacity allocation in the draft IRP would initially require LNG imports

Sasol’s Mabelane to head board at Eskom’s unbundled grid company, NTCSA

By: Terence Creamer 9th January 2024 The inaugural board of directors of the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA), which was announced by the Eskom board on Tuesday, will be chaired by Priscillah Mabelane, who is also the executive VP of Sasol’s energy business. The long-awaited appointment represents as significant... →

Priscillah Mabelane

Ramokgopa seeks to unlock private finance for 6 000 km of new grid in coming three years

By: Terence Creamer 9th January 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the current plan for rolling out grid infrastructure, particularly in the coming three years, is insufficient to end loadshedding and should, thus, be accelerated with the support of private investment, as well as funding from the Just Energy... →

Lineworkers on a high-voltage powerline

Busa warns that lack of detail in IRP 2023 makes it impossible to assess plan’s credibility

By: Terence Creamer 8th January 2024 Business Unity South Africa (Busa) will approach the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to secure the technoeconomic information that has been used to inform the assumptions contained in the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which was released for public comment on January 4... →

Busa energy and environment desk head Happy Khambule

Opinion: The grid’s the thing

8th January 2024 In this opinion article, Mike Levington argues that using renewable energy to meet South Africa’s economic and developmental goals will require a significant shift in thinking about the grid. →

Mike Levington

Affirma, Norfund and KLP provide $145m for CEC to build additional capacity

By: Schalk Burger 8th January 2024 Private equity firm Affirma Capital, development finance institution Norfund and Norwegian pension fund Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP) have invested $145-million in Zambian independent power producer and transmission company Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC). The aim is to build on CEC’s... →

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