Exploration-driven mining revival would reignite industrialisation

Rather than focusing narrowly on minerals beneficiation, South African policymakers have been urged to pay much closer attention to reigniting and expanding the market for the country’s already... 

Despite some immediate CBAM reprieve, South African industry warns of serious potential fallout

A postponement from incorporating indirect carbon emissions into the European Union’s (EU’s) calculation of a product’s embedded emissions under its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will... 

Classifying Eskom’s coal fuel costs as fixed would damage SAWEM

Allowing Eskom Generation to classify the primary energy used by its coal power stations as fixed costs will undermine the objective of using the upcoming launch of the South African Wholesale... 

Sustaining Growth

It is now widely accepted that we live in a misinformation era – one where it has become acceptable, even fashionable, to be anti-science. Scientific consensus is making way for conspiracy... 

Seriti Green CEO on the seamless transition of coal professionals to renewables in Mpumalanga

Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn says the ease with which individuals with deep coal industry experience have transitioned into renewable energy has been a remarkable aspect of the company’s recent... 

Mega 720 MW Karoo wind project, with 100-km self-build powerline, moves towards construction

A mega-scale wind project, which includes a 100-km self-build transmission line to connect into the national grid, is steadily advancing towards construction, which is currently anticipated to... 

SAPVIA calls for immediate implementation of IRP2025

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has called for the immediate implementation of the Integrated Resource Plan 2025 (IRP 2025), which it says recognises solar PV as a... 

Industrial gas users welcome demand certainty created by IRP, but warn that supply questions linger

The Industrial Gas Users Association of Southern Africa (IGUA-SA) has welcomed the focus given to gas in the Integrated Resource Plan 2025 (IRP 2025), but executive officer Jaco Human says critical... 

Minister’s ‘State will lead, market will follow’ electricity assertion raises questions

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s insistence that the State will lead and the market follow in the procurement of new electricity generation, while simultaneously... 

IRP 2025 raises gas load factor to 50% as adjustments are also made to accommodate nuclear and ‘clean coal’

South Africa’s latest Cabinet-approved Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025) includes several policy adjustments that deviate from the least-cost scenario modelled, including a raising of the minimum... 

Malmesbury solar plant to be doubled to 10 MW as companies sign up for green electricity

The 5.6 MW first phase of the SlimSun Too Solar development, located in Malmesbury in the Western Cape, is in its final commissioning stage and will soon begin supplying wheeled renewable... 

Eskom outlines R320bn capex plan, eyes 2028 market return

Having finally announced the completion at the end of September of its generation build programme, which included two mega coal projects that ran years behind schedule and tens of billions over... 

Nersa launches market inquiry into impact of fixed charges on electricity customers

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has launched a market inquiry into the impact of fixed charges being levied by Eskom and municipal electricity distributors, which it claims... 

Content over form

South Africans are naturally strongly opposed to any more hefty electricity hikes, having borne above-inflation increases for years while power disruptions intensified and Eskom’s finances... 

New Cabinet-approved Eskom board will still be chaired by Mteto Nyati

Cabinet has approved a new Eskom Holdings board, which will continue to be chaired by Mteto Nyati, whose term has not expired because his appointment was made a year after the September 2022... 

Necsa reports R125m profit as Cabinet names new board after governance tussles

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has reported a net profit after tax of R125.2-million for the financial year to March 31, 2025, while Cabinet has appointed a new board... 

Ramokgopa to provide ‘IRP 2025’ briefing after Cabinet approves policy

Cabinet has approved the new Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, which is being referred to as ‘IRP 2025’. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni indicated that the plan outlined the... 

Court order confirming R54bn Nersa-Eskom settlement delayed following AfriForum intervention

The court order confirming the controversial R54-billion settlement between Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has been delayed after the High Court granted AfriForum’s... 

R5.2bn Red Rocket solar park first and only project to emerge from Eskom’s land lease scheme

South African independent power producer (IPP) Red Rocket has reached financial close on a 300 MW solar PV project, which will be built at a cost of about R5.2-billion on land leased to it by... 

Construction starts on next phase of giant wind farm rising in South Africa’s coal heartland

The third 155-MW phase of Seriti Green’s giant Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm, which is visibly changing the electricity landscape in South Africa’s coal heartland of Mpumalanga, has entered into... 

IPP body to meet Eskom on grid-access concerns after alerting competition body to the potential for abuse

The South African Independent Power Producer Association (SAIPPA) expects to meet with Eskom later this month to discuss its concern that the State-owned entity’s proposed renewables projects may... 

Court ruling opens way for much-delayed DCT Pier 2 transaction

The KwaZulu-Natal High Court has dismissed an application to have Transnet’s July 2023 selection of a preferred bidder to develop and upgrade the Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2, in... 

Tariff investigations now taking 27 months on average to complete, report shows

Import duty investigations in South Africa are currently taking an average of 27 months to complete – more than four times the official target of six months, and with the oldest open tariff probe... 

Newly consolidated renewables major, Anthem, sets 6 GW goal for 2030

Two well-established South African renewables companies – African Clean Energy Developments and EIMS Africa – have officially combined to form a new large-scale independent power producer (IPP)... 

Debt and theft

The twin crises of surging municipal arrear debt owing to Eskom and rising electricity theft have been lurking for years, and with all efforts to combat the problems having failed. In fact Eskom’s... 

Transnet confirms attachment order for parts required to return CRRC locomotives to service

Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips has expressed optimism that some locomotives that have been standing idle for years amid a long-running dispute with the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation... 

Recyclers demand inquiry into all scrap policies following price-fixing ruling

Three scrap metal recycling bodies have jointly called for an independent inquiry into all government policies affecting the sector, including the price preference system (PPS) for scrap metal and... 

Exploration-driven mining revival would reignite industrialisation

Rather than focusing narrowly on minerals beneficiation, South African policymakers have been urged to pay much closer attention to reigniting and expanding the market for the country’s already... 

Additional reforms needed to tackle South Africa's ‘unemployment catastrophe’, think tank argues

A new report by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) calls for additional policy reforms to tackle the country’s “unemployment catastrophe”, which is excluding more than 12.5-million... 

Despite some immediate CBAM reprieve, South African industry warns of serious potential fallout

A postponement from incorporating indirect carbon emissions into the European Union’s (EU’s) calculation of a product’s embedded emissions under its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will... 

Classifying Eskom’s coal fuel costs as fixed would damage SAWEM

Allowing Eskom Generation to classify the primary energy used by its coal power stations as fixed costs will undermine the objective of using the upcoming launch of the South African Wholesale... 

Mega-scale 506 MW Free State solar cluster takes another big step forward

A mega-scale solar and battery storage hub is under construction on a 560 ha site in the grid-ready Free State province – a development that comprises two solar PV farms with a combined capacity of... 

25-year extensions of Island View liquid-bulk terminal leases to boost fuel security – Creecy

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has issued a directive instructing the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to renew the leases of existing liquid-bulk terminal operators in the Island View... 

When to intervene?

When should a Minister intervene at a State-owned company or independent regulator? It’s a difficult question to answer, and will remain so for as long as Ministers have shareholder... 

Bala appointed as NTCSA CEO as decision on ‘end state’ nears

Eskom veteran Monde Bala has been appointed as CEO of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), effective October 1, having served in the position on an interim basis for the past two... 

Eskom outlines R320bn capex plan, as it signals 2028 return to capital markets

Having finally announced the completion at the end of September of its generation build programme, which included two mega coal projects that ran years behind schedule and tens of billions over... 

Eskom warns that municipal debt could climb to R300bn by 2030

Eskom CFO Calib Cassim warns that municipal arrear debt owing to Eskom could exceed R300-billion by 2030, while once again highlighting the failure of the current National Treasury initiative to... 

Eskom stays legal case against traders, says it has faith in Nersa process

Eskom has announced a stay in its legal action to have the regulator’s decision to licence five electricity traders in 2024 reviewed and set aside. In July, Eskom launched its long-threatened legal... 

Eskom now modelling single-digit tariff hikes, Marokane reports

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane reports that the State-owned company is being geared towards receiving no more than single-digit tariff increases in future in recognition of the affordability pressures... 

Eskom chair says future tariff hikes should be in line with inflation

Eskom chairperson Mteto Nyati says the next mission of the board is to drive electricity affordability in a way that ensures that future electricity tariff increases do not exceed the rate of...