Eskom warned on Thursday that it is struggling to keep the lights on, potentially adding to South Africa’s misery after days of violent looting across KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng.
Browsing: Energy and sustainability
The performance of Eskom’s generation fleet has been steadily increasing from the disappointing below-60% plant availability in April, and supply has consistently exceeded demand over the past week.
A powerful winter weather system, approaching South Africa from the west, has prompted Eskom to ask the public to reduce the usage of electricity to prevent possible load shedding.
The solar industry has spent decades slashing the cost of generating electricity direct from the sun. Now it’s focusing on making panels even more powerful.
Botswana has granted a generation licence for a 100MW solar project to local firm Shumba Energy, making it the first independent power producer to set up a large-scale solar plant in the country.
Eskom has reduced its debt to less than R400-billion as discussions ensue to secure funding for a transition to renewable energy, according to public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan.
Ethekwini, the municipality that includes Durban, South Africa’s third largest city, plans to seek initial proposals for the construction of 400MW of power generation.
Eskom is pitching a R140-billion plan to global lenders that would see it shut the vast majority of its coal-fired plants by 2050 and embrace renewable energy.
Eskom on Friday said it will implement a conditional 1.5% wage increase, potentially setting the stage for a showdown with unions, which had been demanding far more.
The decision by the environment department to refuse environmental authorisations for Karpowership SA’s multibillion-rand energy deal is likely to be appealed.