Nuclear Regulator grants Eskom permission to extend life of Koeberg Unit 1 to July 2044

South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) board has approved a 20-year life extension for Koeberg Unit 1, but has deferred a decision on the nuclear power station’s Unit 2 until late 2025,... 

Carbon intensity of our economy has become unsustainable - Ramaphosa

The carbon intensity of our economy has become unsustainable, President Cyril Ramaphosa writes in his latest weekly newsletter, published ahead of his address to a climate finance symposium being... 

South Africa continues to push for long extension to Agoa well ahead of 2025 expiry

With the expiry of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act 15 months away, South Africa is continuing to call for an early and substantial extension of the preferential trade arrangement, which has... 

'Second wave' of Operation Vulindlela set to prioritise ‘green and digital’ growth

The ‘second wave’ of government’s Operation Vulindlela initiative is poised to be widened to include additional structural reforms to those that have been pursued to date in electricity, freight... 

Eskom issues tender for 26 large transformers

Eskom reports that it has appointed five transformer companies to a panel of suppliers that will compete for upcoming contracts for a total of 101 large-scale transformers that will be installed... 

Rewards and risks

The decision to again uncouple the energy portfolio from mineral resources and appoint Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as the new Electricity and Energy Minister in the government of national unity has... 

Grindrod chosen for Richards Bay Port container facility

South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed Grindrod South Africa as the preferred bidder to develop and operate a container handling facility at the Port of Richards Bay,... 

City of Tshwane pushing ahead with plan to procure 1 000 MW by 2026

The City of Tshwane is signalling its intention to proceed with plans to procure and/or revive 1 000 MW of electricity generation capacity by 2026 as part of a strategy aimed at improving security... 

Eskom targets JETP funds, partnerships for 2 GW clean-energy pipeline

Having recently confirmed a decoupling of its just energy transition strategy from the decommissioning of its coal-fired power stations, Eskom is aiming to finalise business cases for a pipeline of... 

Moment of consequence?

As is the case for the country as a whole, South Africa’s industrial development is at “a moment of fundamental consequence”, to borrow a line from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration speech.... 

Ramaphosa to issue Gazette notice to clarify Presidency’s role in coordination of SOEs

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has reaffirmed that the coordination of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) previously falling under the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), which is... 

Energy Regulator rescinds decision on new tariff-setting rules as Eskom prepares to apply for big hike

The Energy Regulator has rescinded its approval, made in December, of the so-called Electricity Price Determination Methodology Rules (EPDMR), which were proposed for implementation in the 2025/26... 

Decision to impose duties on PV modules met with mixture of surprise and support

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has expressed surprise at government’s decision to introduce a 10% import duty and rebate on “photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or... 

AMSA to continue operating longs business, but instability at flats unit hits earnings

Despite a negative trading update, steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has announced that it will continue to operate its longs business, the closure of which was deferred earlier this... 

New trade and industry leadership expected to use industrial policy levers to support key sectors

With industrial policy back in fashion in many economies, business and policy specialists expect new Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to prioritise measures to support key... 

Separation of energy portfolio and Ramokgopa’s appointment praised amid rising energy-transition complexity

The decision to establish a separate energy portfolio with the African National Congress’s Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as Minister and the Democratic Alliance’s Samantha Graham as Deputy Minister has... 

South Africa preparing to pilot independent transmission projects to bolster grid’s renewables capacity

The National Treasury has confirmed that South Africa is moving to pilot a model that will enable the private sector to participate directly in the development and operation of transmission grid... 

Benchmarking study highlights slow pace of South Africa’s grid-connection system

A new benchmarking assessment of South Africa’s electricity grid access queueing mechanisms indicates that Eskom’s systems are slower and less transparent than those being implemented in developed... 

Integrate global grid-battery strategies to support roll-out, South Africa urged

South Africa should consider ways to replicate strategies employed in regions such as South Australia and California to facilitate an accelerated uptake of grid batteries, which a new International... 

Lack of transparency

The tapering of loadshedding has arguably provided the Eskom board and executive team with some much-needed time and space to consider the future of the business without the daily distraction of... 

South Africa continues to push for long extension to Agoa well ahead of 2025 expiry

With the expiry of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act 15 months away, South Africa is continuing to call for an early and substantial extension of the preferential trade arrangement, which has... 

‘Second wave’ of Operation Vulindlela set to prioritise ‘green and digital’ growth

The ‘second wave’ of government’s Operation Vulindlela initiative is poised to be widened to include additional structural reforms to those that have been pursued to date in electricity, freight... 

Eskom issues tender for 26 large transformers to panel of five selected suppliers

Eskom reports that it has appointed five transformer companies to a panel of suppliers that will compete for upcoming contracts for a total of 101 large-scale transformers that will be installed... 

Eskom to apply for MES exemptions for four coal stations that will operate beyond 2030

Having secured permission to operate five aged power stations under existing minimum emission standards (MES) plant limits until their closure in 2030, Eskom has confirmed that it will be applying... 

Eskom ‘decouples’ renewables roll-out from coal-fired power station closure plan

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane reports that a decision has been made to “decouple” the closure of its coal stations from the building, in partnership, of new renewable energy generation capacity linked to... 

V&A Waterfront pilots ‘aesthetically pleasing’ small-scale wind turbines

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront is pioneering the integration of small, low-noise vertical-axis wind turbines into its green electricity supply mix, following the installation of four 1-kW units within... 

DMRE again delays bidding deadlines for procurement of new renewables and battery storage

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has confirmed another extension to the bid submission deadlines for the current renewables procurement round, as well as the second battery... 

Defusing CBAM

South Africa is strenuously opposing the European Union’s (EU’s) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) that, under its evolving design and coverage, could have a significant impact on the... 

Grindrod selected as preferred bidder for Port of Richards Bay container facility

South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed Grindrod South Africa as the preferred bidder to develop and operate a container handling facility at the Port of Richards Bay,... 

Transnet to appeal order to pay billions in damages following long-running Natref dispute

The High Court has found in favour of Sasol Oil and TotalEnergies in relation to a long-running dispute with Transnet over pipeline tariffs from Durban to the Natref refinery and has awarded... 

City of Tshwane pushing ahead with plan to procure 1 000 MW by 2026

The City of Tshwane is signalling its intention to proceed with plans to procure and/or revive 1 000 MW of electricity generation capacity by 2026 as part of a strategy aimed at improving security... 

TNPA moves to integrate desalination, renewables at Port Elizabeth and Ngqura ports

South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has issued requests for proposal (RFPs) for the construction of two solar-powered seawater desalination plants and a hybrid... 

V&A Waterfront signs deal to raise green-electricity contribution to 70% by 2026

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront has signed a ten-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Etana Energy for 43 GWh of renewable energy yearly, which will result in wind and solar supplying 70% of the... 

Eskom targets JETP funds and partnerships for 2 GW clean-energy pipeline

Having recently confirmed a decoupling of its just energy transition strategy from the decommissioning of its coal-fired power stations, Eskom is aiming to finalise business cases for a pipeline of... 

NTCSA on track to begin trading on July 1, Marokane says

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane has confirmed that the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) is on track to begin trading on July 1 and that the new entity was being set up to operate as a... 

Supply-side support will be required if South Africa aims to join green industrialisation race

Stable demand remains a prerequisite if South Africa has any prospect of stimulating industrialisation in the renewable-energy and battery storage value chains, Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies... 

Capital cost of energy transition ‘only one part of picture’

The yearly $1.9-trillion being invested currently on clean energy would have to more than double and be more evenly distributed to place the world on track to meet net-zero emissions by 2050, a new... 

Delayed coal decommissioning won’t ‘collapse our climate commitments’

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is currently assessing the impact of South Africa’s decision to delay the decommissioning of the Hendrina, Grootvlei and Camden coal-fired power stations... 

Reality check

Regardless of composition, there are certain realities that South Africa’s new government cannot avoid. The first is an unemployment rate so high that, unless it is reduced materially, there is no... 

South Africa preparing to pilot independent transmission projects to bolster grid’s renewables capacity

The National Treasury has confirmed that South Africa is moving to pilot a model that will enable the private sector to participate directly in the development and operation of transmission grid...