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Transmission & Distribution News

Cabinet approves Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy

By: Terence Creamer 19th October 2023 Cabinet has approved the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy (GHCS) for implementation, with the goal of positioning South Africa as a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen. Government has estimated that the hydrogen economy has the potential to add 3.6% to gross domestic product by... →

South Africa mulls Dutch, Danish entry to $8.5bn climate pact

By: Bloomberg 18th October 2023 South Africa’s Cabinet will consider a proposal on whether to include the Netherlands and Denmark in its landmark $8.5 billion climate-finance pact with some of the world’s richest nations. Expanding the so-called Just Energy Transition Partnership could give momentum to the implementation of an... →

Unlocking grid immediately through curtailment a priority, Cassim confirms

By: Terence Creamer 18th October 2023 Eskom interim CEO Calib Cassim has described unlocking grid connection capacity, using curtailment, as an urgent priority while Eskom and other stakeholders assess funding options to expand the transmission network. Speaking at a climate conference in Johannesburg, Cassim reported that... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Eskom interim CEO Calib Cassim

Inside the Energy One Stop Shop and its drive to fast-track electricity project applications

18th October 2023 The Energy One Stop Shop, or EOSS, which was officially launched by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel in July, is in the ramp-up phase of a four-stage process aimed at fast-tracking the regulatory approvals required for new electricity projects to be connected to the grid.... →

Inside the Energy One Stop Shop and its drive to fast-track electricity project applications

Energy crisis being addressed, but implementation is slow, admits DMRE DG

By: Irma Venter 18th October 2023 One of the biggest positive developments over the last 12 months has been the “convergence of ideas on what we need to do to resolve the energy crisis”, says Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) director-general (DG) Jacob Mbele. “We come from a period where people were pushing for... →

DMRE director-general Jacob Mbele

Invest in grids today or face gridlock tomorrow, IEA warns

By: Terence Creamer 17th October 2023 The International Energy Agency (IEA) is warning that investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure is failing to keep pace with renewables projects, and is leading to a large and growing queue of projects waiting to be connected to the grid globally. In a newly published report... →

IEA executive director Fatih Birol

Ramaphosa rules out privatisating State companies

By: Bloomberg 17th October 2023 President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated that his administration wasn’t moving to privatize state-owned companies as the government initiates reforms to clean up their balance sheets and revive their performance. Private-sector investment was necessary to mobilize funds for economic infrastructure... →

Municipalities approved so far for Eskom debt relief owe a combined R26.69bn

By: Terence Creamer 13th October 2023 The National Treasury has confirmed that the collective debt owed to Eskom by the 28 municipalities approved for participation under the Eskom Municipal Debt Relief Support Programme represents R26.69-billion of the R58.5-billion owed to the utility as of the end of March. Eskom has confirmed... →

Eskom's virtual wheeling plans in the spotlight

By: Creamer Media Reporter 13th October 2023 Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer discusses Eskom's plans to roll-out a new virtual wheeling platform that could unlock renewables supply to companies with operations spread across the country. →

Eskom's virtual wheeling plans in the spotlight

Municipal credit risk poses big challenge as Eskom gears up to implement virtual wheeling

By: Terence Creamer 12th October 2023 The credit risk associated with municipalities in arrears to Eskom poses a challenge to the roll-out of the utility’s proposed virtual wheeling platform and is also likely to limit the ability of corporates with distributed facilities to rely exclusively on virtual wheeling as currently conceived... →

Former Eskom employees targeted in Sars coal syndicate raids

By: News24Wire 12th October 2023 The South African Revenue Service led a large-scale government search and seizure operation against several alleged members of coal smuggling syndicates across the country on Thursday, including former Eskom employees. "The alleged coal-smugglers and their related entities are active and have a... →

Sars Commissioner Edward Kieswetter

Only 28 of the 136 munis owing Eskom R58bn-plus approved to participate in write-off scheme

By: Terence Creamer 10th October 2023 Only 28 municipalities have to date been given approval by the National Treasury to participate in the Eskom Municipal Debt Relief Support Programme, which was announced in the February Budget as part of a R254-billion debt-relief package that has been extended to the utility. The programme is... →

MTN's Nyati to succeed Makwana as Eskom chair

By: Bloomberg 9th October 2023 Mpho Makwana will step down as chairman of South Africa’s beleaguered power utility at Eskom Holdings’ annual general meeting at the end of the month. He will be replaced by former MTN Group Ltd. executive and ex-chief executive officer of Altron, Mteto Nyati, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin... →

Eskom expects to roll out virtual wheeling scheme before end of 2024

By: Terence Creamer 6th October 2023 Electricity utility Eskom expects to formally roll-out a virtual wheeling scheme, which it has been piloting with mobile telecoms group Vodacom since August, to the rest of the market before the end of 2024. The contracting platform will allow for one or more generators to transact with multiple... →

Photo by Creamer Media Chief Photographer Donna Slater
Eskom group executive for distribution Monde Bala

Government taking too long to wrap up power projects – Ramokgopa

By: Irma Venter 5th October 2023 Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says he “laments” the time it takes for government to go from issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) to announcing preferred bidder status and reaching financial close when it comes to renewable energy power projects. “Our going out for RFPs and... →

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

Business, govt collaboration showing signs of success in addressing multiple crises

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th October 2023 Business is working to add more than 10 GW of generation capacity to the electricity system by the end of next year, which would effectively end loadshedding in South Africa, Sasol president and CEO Fleetwood Grobler said on the first day of the Joburg Indaba on October 4. Speaking in his... →

Photo by Bloomberg
Energy Council of South Africa chairperson and Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler

Opinion: Virtual Wheeling 101

4th October 2023 In this opinion article, Jason van der Poel and Hannah Milner of Webber Wentzel discuss Eskom’s virtual wheeling pilot and how the roll-out of the programme will enable companies with multiple offtake sites to connect to generators using the Eskom or municipal grids. →

Jason van der Poel and Hannah Milner

Standard Bank’s pipeline of private utility scale renewables projects stands at 4 GW

By: Terence Creamer 3rd October 2023 Standard Bank reports that it has financed 400 MW of distributed generation since government’s recent decision to allow utility scale projects of any size to proceed without a licence even when wheeling electricity through the grid. In addition, its pipeline of such projects for the coming 12... →

Standard Bank South Africa CEO Lungisa Fuzile

Focus on microgrids while grid capacity issues are being resolved – Winde

By: Irma Venter 3rd October 2023 The current capacity constraints in Eskom’s transmission system can, to a degree, be countered by a focus on microgrids, says Western Cape premier Alan Winde. Speaking at Windaba Connect in Cape Town, he noted that it could “take years” for the national grid to be able to move the large number of... →

Study confirms South Africa can produce most components needed for the transmission, distribution value chain

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd October 2023 A study on value chain mapping of the South African transmission and distribution networks published by nonprofit the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) finds there are opportunities to localise components in this value chain, should concerns and constraints be effectively addressed. The Eskom... →

LSF executive head Thami Moatshe

As Kusile unit returns early, South Africa misses renewables procurement deadline

By: Terence Creamer 1st October 2023 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has welcomed the earlier-than-expected return of Kusile Unit 3 coal-fired generation, but has also acknowledged that government simultaneously failed to meet its end of September deadline for the release of the next public procurement round for renewable... →

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

No daytime loadshedding expected over the weekend

By: News24Wire 29th September 2023 Due to the sustained improved performance of generation availability as well as the anticipated lower demand over the weekend, loadshedding will be suspended between 05:00 and 16:00 on Saturday and Sunday, Eskom said on Friday. Stage 2 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 until 05:00 on... →

JET pledges rise to $11.9bn as South Africa moves to finalise implementation plan

By: Terence Creamer 29th September 2023 The South African government has received additional pledges, worth nearly $3.5-billion, in support of its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP), increasing the overall envelope of concessional debt and grant funding to $11.9-billion. The Presidency’s Rudi Dicks told the Presidential... →

The Presidency’s Rudi Dicks

Eskom evolving from traditional to virtual wheeling with Vodacom

By: Cameron Mackay 29th September 2023 State-owned power utility Eskom strategy development senior manager Mutenda Tshipala has noted that Eskom is evolving from the traditional electricity wheeling mechanism to virtual wheeling in collaboration with local telecommunications company Vodacom. Speaking at RES4Africa Foundation’s virtual... →

Eskom reports initial success in avoiding prepaid meter catastrophe

By: News24Wire 29th September 2023 Eskom has finally started a national update for the 6.6-million prepaid electricity meters under its control before they all become non-operational late next year. The utility said that the update, which has been under way for a little over a month, has been a success so far. The update is... →

SA’s wind-energy potential is vast and not geographically constrained

By: Donna Slater 29th September 2023 Despite no wind energy projects being selected as preferred bidders in the sixth bid window (BW6) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says there is significant untapped wind potential in South... →

Supplemental solutions beneficial

29th September 2023 Temporary power generation supplier Aggreko, an official sponsor at this year’s Manufacturing Indaba being held at the Sandton Convention Centre, in October, states that climate change is a hot topic in today’s world – and for good reason. With the last decade reported as the warmest on record,... →

a mobile cooling solution offered by Aggreko to a client

PROBLEM SOLVING SOLUTIONS The mobile rental energy solutions offered by Aggreko have numerous advantages

Eskom aiming not to breach Stage 4 loadshedding this summer

By: Terence Creamer 27th September 2023 Eskom is aiming to limit loadshedding to Stage 4 during the summer months to the end of March by restricting unplanned breakdowns to 14 500 MW during what is also its high-maintenance season, when planned outages of about 7 000 MW will be implemented. Interim CEO Calib Cassim indicated on... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Interim Eskom CEO Calib Cassim

Ramokgopa underscores importance of engineers in tackling transmission, infrastructure challenges

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 27th September 2023 South Africa and Africa face considerable transmission and infrastructure challenges, which are hindering energy security and, consequently, economic growth; however, there are interventions under way to tackle this, and the region must draw on its considerable talent pool of engineers to... →

Grid investment ‘fully funded’ for next three years, but scale-up requires alternative models

By: Terence Creamer 21st September 2023 Eskom has indicated that it has sufficient funding for the coming three years for the grid infrastructure investments that will be pursued in line with its Transmission Development Plan, but says additional financing will be required beyond that point and that alternative funding and delivery... →

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

More licences approved for transmission company

21st September 2023 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the National Energy Regulator of South Africa's approval of two more licences required for the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) to begin operating, when the NTCSA is expected to start operating and what still needs to be done... →

More licences approved for transmission company

Gordhan criticises Eskom’s ‘elongated’ restructuring timelines, wants grid company trading from Nov

By: Terence Creamer 20th September 2023 Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has criticised Eskom’s “elongated” restructuring timeframes and has called for greater urgency and drive from the utility in completing the remaining processes required to enable the independent grid company to begin trading. Eskom has indicated that the... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan

Drakenstein municipality rolls out new, green switchgear

By: Irma Venter 19th September 2023 The Drakenstein municipality, in the Western Cape, has adopted Schneider Electric’s green RM AirSeT switchgear, which it says will reduce the municipality’s carbon footprint by using pure air instead of SF6 gas. The project alleviates the harmful greenhouse gas emissions produced by SF6 gas... →

Leon Laing

Eskom expects NTCSA to begin trading from April

By: Terence Creamer 19th September 2023 Eskom expects the remaining suspensive conditions required for the operationalisation of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) to be met by the end of its current financial year and for the entity to commence trading from the start of the new financial year, which begins on April... →

'We have been doing nothing for 10 years': Idle Tshwane power stations cost the City billions

By: News24Wire 19th September 2023 Around R300-million is spent annually on salaries for staff and maintenance at the Rooiwal and Pretoria West power stations, which have not been operational for more than a decade. On Monday, Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink addressed the media on the City's plan to procure and generate at least 1... →

Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink

Energy Regulator approves two outstanding licences for new grid company

By: Terence Creamer 18th September 2023 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved the two licence applications required for the operationalisation of the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA), which is in the process of being established as an independent unbundled division of Eskom Holdings.... →

South Africa's grid capacity constraints

By: Creamer Media Reporter 15th September 2023 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the various grid-related funding proposals and delivery mechanisms being considered by South Africa and what this could mean for adding much-needed electricity supply. →

South Africa's grid capacity constraints

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