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Transmission & Distribution News

Company implements new logistics system

By: Sascha Solomons 12th August 2016 Amid the challenges of cost transparency and inefficient vehicle use, food and beverages producer and distributor Pioneer Foods implemented solutions provider Resolve Solution Partners’ in-house transport management system PLATO at its plant. The PLATO system helps generate an optimised... →

CIG buys prepaid electricity meter manufacturer Conlog for up to R850m

By: Creamer Media Reporter 11th August 2016 JSE-listed Consolidated Infrastructure Group (CIG) has acquired Schneider Electric’s Conlog business – a Durban-based developer, manufacturer and distributor of prepaid electricity meters, smart meters and related software applications – for up to R850-million. “Conlog is an ideal extension to... →

CIG CEO Raoul Gamsu

Wage strike starts at South Africa power utility Eskom, supplies stable

By: Reuters 8th August 2016 Workers downed tools Monday at three South African power stations with more set to follow as a wage strike began at State-run utility Eskom, but the company said its operations had not yet been impacted and branded the stoppage illegal. Paris Mashego, NUM's energy sector coordinator, told Reuters... →

Eskom, CSIR to tackle security threats at substations

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 2nd August 2016 The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and State-owned Eskom have signed an agreement that formalises interaction between the organisations in the security domain, by establishing a standing security subcommittee to identify and deal with security risks. The electricity... →

Eskom’s letter causes uncertainty for IPPs

27th July 2016 Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the fallout of Eskom’s indications that it will not sign further contracts with independent power producers until it has had further consultations with the Energy Minister. →

Eskom’s letter causes uncertainty for IPPs

An update on the state of the electricity system

22nd July 2016 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer tells Creamer Media’s Samantha Herbst about Eskom’s latest media briefing. →

An update on the state of the electricity system

Eskom letter sends shock waves through private power sector

By: Terence Creamer 21st July 2016 News of Eskom’s letter to Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson – seeking clarity on the approach the utility should take to contracting in future with independent power producers (IPPs) – sent shock waves through the private power community, which is only just starting to find its feet in a... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Eskom chairperson Dr Ben Ngubane

Creamer Media publishes Real Economy Insight 2016: Electricity research report

11th July 2016 This eight-page brief is a synopsis of key developments in the electricity sector over the past 12 months, including details of South Africa’s constrained power system; State-owned power utility Eskom’s financial status and tariffs, capacity expansion programme, funding, independent power... →

Eskom reports strong profit recovery despite another fall in yearly sales

By: Terence Creamer 5th July 2016 Despite another, albeit modest, fall in electricity sales, State-owned electricity producer Eskom reported a strong recovery in its financial performance for 2016, with net profit rising to R4.6-billion from R200-million in 2015. At the interim stage, however, net profit stood at R11.3-billion,... →

Eskom tackles recurring localised power outages

By: Natasha Odendaal 27th June 2016 With several recurring power outages, particularly across Gauteng in recent months, State-owned power utility Eskom is taking a three-pronged approach to recover, stabilise and improve the performance of the electricity distribution network. Illegal connections causing overloading, cable theft,... →

Power station fault and cable theft cause outages in Joburg

By: News24Wire 20th June 2016 A fault at a power station and cable theft resulted in power outages in two areas in and around Johannesburg on Monday, Eskom said. “Earlier today the Kelvin power station experienced a fault, which meant that it could not energise its supply areas in Johannesburg,” Eskom said in a statement. →

Illegal connections trip Eskom supply to parts of Jhb

By: News24Wire 17th June 2016 Illegal connections overloaded the electricity grid causing power outages across parts of Johannesburg this week, Eskom said on Friday. Eskom said communities should “refrain from connecting themselves illegally, to use electricity sparingly and stop buying electricity from ghost vendors”. →

Electricity connections rise to 85.5% – Stats SA

By: News24Wire 3rd June 2016 Eskom took credit for accelerating the number of households connected to the electricity supply, after Stats SA revealed on Thursday that levels increased “consistently from 77.1% in 2002 to 85.5% in 2015”. This as Stats SA also revealed that electricity generation increased by a relatively small... →

EPG products ensure consistent transfer of energy loads

By: Kimberley Smuts 3rd June 2016 Energy distributor Vert Energy was in March appointed the distributor for industrial control products supplier ASCO Power Technologies, whose products will form part of Vert’s range of energy efficient electric power generation (EPG) products in Southern Africa. Being a subsidiary of power... →

ASCO TRANSFER SWITCHES Are are the only power transfer switches that conform to the stringent IEC 60947-6-1 regulation

DoE launches ‘Save Energy’ campaign

3rd June 2016 Last month, the Department of Energy (DoE) in collaboration with the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Department of Trade and Industry, and local and international partners unveiled the ‘Save Energy’ energy efficiency programme intervention, which is in support of the energy saving campaign... →

Photo by Duane Daws
JACOB ZUMA The 2015 State of the Nation Address indicated that government buildings needed to become more energy efficient

Tricky hydro scheme checks completed

By: Simon Sonnekus 27th May 2016 Difficult-to-complete inspections, high up at a water-storage scheme, in KwaZulu-Natal, were easily completed within the allotted time using rope access. Rope access solutions provider Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn notes that the operation – which took place after the conclusion of one... →

ROPE ACCESS The shafts inspected at a KZN hydro scheme were over 700 m long, 6 m in diameter and with 25˚ slopes

Eskom to waive Soweto users’ debt, on condition

By: News24Wire 25th May 2016 Eskom will waive Soweto residents’ debt repayments as an incentive to convert to prepaid meters, it was revealed in a written reply in Parliament by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) on Wednesday. The DPE was responding to a question by Democratic Alliance MP Natasha Mazzone, who asked... →

Eskom, CSIR sign strategic partnership agreement

24th May 2016 Power utility Eskom and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have signed a partnership agreement aimed at synergising the research capabilities of the two State-owned organisations in support of Eskom’s strategic and operational needs. The five-year agreement was aimed at... →

Ekurhuleni to spend over R100m to prevent power outages

By: African News Agency 24th May 2016 The City of Ekurhuleni in Gauteng is set to spend over R100-million to stabilise power supply in Germiston, this after weeks of prolonged power outages in the area. In a statement from the City, it admitted that Germiston had for the past few months experienced intermittent power failures due to... →

City Power outlines efforts to eradicate fraud and corruption

By: Mia Breytenbach 20th May 2016 City Power plans to strengthen its corruption-busting initiatives as the utility realigns its operations with its revised business mandate. Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg earlier this month, City Power chairperson Reverend Frank Chikane noted that the multipronged anticorruption... →

SICELO XULU The realignment of City Power’s operational structure favourably positions the utility to realise its revised business mandate

Nuclear will be needed in years to come, says Eskom

By: Kim Cloete 17th May 2016 While State-owned power utility Eskom has acknowledged the importance of renewable energy as a way of producing better and cheaper energy, it maintains that nuclear will still be needed as baseload energy in years to come. Eskom distribution group executive Mongezi Ntsokolo told delegates at... →

Eskom distribution group executive Mongezi Ntsokolo

Environmental impact report on KiPower power lines released for public comment

By: Samantha Herbst 13th May 2016 A draft environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed construction of two loop-in- loop-out 400 kV power lines to connect the recently approved KiPower independent power producer (IPP) power plant to the Eskom grid was released on Friday for public comment by engineering and environmental... →

Energy sector headed in a positive direction

By: Sascha Solomons 13th May 2016 With State-owned power utility Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile power stations contributing about 10 GW jointly at full operation, global consulting firm KPMG believes the Department of Energy is proactively working towards reaching the National Development Plan’s (NDP) 2030 goal of having about 17 GW... →

Fifty-eight participants graduate from Eskom academy

By: Sascha Solomons 13th May 2016 In line with its commitment to develop skills and create jobs, State-owned power utility Eskom’s Contractor Academy saw 58 participants drawn from Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the North West and Gauteng graduate in March this year. The graduation ceremony celebrated the upskilling of another group of... →

Photo by Duane
BRIAN MOLEFE Through the academy, Eskom develops and supports of small and medium-sized enterprises

Medupi to comply with emissions standards

By: Sascha Solomons 13th May 2016 State-owned power utility Eskom intends to retrofit each of Medupi power stations’ six power generation units with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technology, which is used to reduce the sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions of a coal-fired power station but has the drawback of requiring high water... →

Photo by Duane
MEDUPI POWER STATION The FGD will allow Medupi to comply with the new plant cabon dioxide minimum emission standard

Illegal connections, cable theft pose threat to zero harm mandate

By: Sascha Solomons 13th May 2016 The increase in the number of informal settlements in the Western Cape has led to an increase in unsafe electricity connections. This plus the ability of higher income areas to pay electricians to by-pass Eskom meters, impinges on State-owned power utility Eskom’s zero harm initiative. “The... →

Photo by Bloomberg
ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS The unsafe electiciy connections are proving to be a costly procedure for Eskom

Power utility opts to use renewable energy source

By: Sascha Solomons 13th May 2016 Solar system specialists and engineering design company ZRW Mechanika completed the installation of a 50 kW hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Wilgers education and community centre near the Kusile power plant in Witbank, Mpumalanga, in January 2016. ZRW Mechanika was awarded the... →

HYBRID SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC Renewable and cost efficient energy source

Ingula set for completion next month

By: Sascha Solomons 13th May 2016 Mechanical engineering contracting company SA FIVE Engineering says State-owned power utility Eskom’s Ingula pumped-storage scheme’s commissioning is set to be completed by the end of next month. “The construction of Ingula is complete and only the commissioning needs to be done. Unit 3 and Unit... →

INGULA POWER STATION The new hydropower station nears completion

Dependable power supply a top priority in shipping

13th May 2016 Electric power generation and electromechanical power transmission specialist Vert Energy MD Grant Robertson notes that reliable power supply is a top priority in shipping. Therefore, Vert Energy has tailored its capability to assist vessel owners – not only with routine maintenance programmes,... →

POWER MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER Vert Energy’s field services comprise reassembly, installation and commissioning; inspections and diagnostics; as well as on-site maintenance and repair

Shale gas research necessary to put uncertainty to rest

By: Natasha Odendaal 11th May 2016 Shale gas research projects are becoming increasingly essential to put to bed speculation and uncertainties over the potential of reserves in South Africa, as well as the impact of hydraulic fracturing on the environment. This was heard at a Fossil Fuel Foundation workshop on unconventional gas,... →

Eskom avoids downgrade following Moody’s review

By: Creamer Media Reporter 10th May 2016 State-owned electricity producer Eskom announced on Tuesday that Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) had affirmed the utility’s credit rating of Ba1, with a negative outlook, following an earlier affirmation of South Africa’s sovereign rating by the same agency. In March 2016, Moody’s placed... →

Private–public partnership could improve service delivery

6th May 2016 The lack of capacity, both financial and human, in municipal departments remains a challenge according to strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations solutions provider Accenture resources MD Melusi Maposa, who says that the private sector should be allowed to take part in utility... →

Brics bank gives $811m in first round green energy loans

By: Bloomberg 6th May 2016 The New Development Bank, a multilateral lender formerly known as the Brics Development Bank, will provide $811-million in a first round of loans for clean energy projects in four nations. →

Room for improvement in energy transmission and distribution

By: Robyn Wilkinson 6th May 2016 Despite South Africa’s achievements in its renewable energy programme to date, power transmission and distribution continue to warrant improvement if electricity supply is to be stable in the country, says professional services firm KPMG infrastructure advisory head De Buys Scott. →

IMPROVING THE POWER SUPPLY CHAIN South Africa’s growing power generation capacity needs to be supported by transmission and distribution systems

South African power solutions firm expands into Namibia

By: David Oliveira 29th April 2016 South African power solution and data centre specialist Master Power Technologies last month opened a branch in Windhoek, Namibia, as part of its growth strategy in Africa. The new office complements the Master Power branches successfully operating in Kitwe and Lusaka, in Zambia, as well as in... →

Harsh action as electricity theft costs R7.5bn a year

By: African News Agency 25th April 2016 A statement from Eskom on Monday said aggressive action was being employed in the fight against electricity theft, which was costing the State-owned electricity provider and municipalities an estimated R7.5-billion a year. The problem of electricity theft is an international one, according to... →

Energy storage possible standby for grid failure

By: Simon Sonnekus 22nd April 2016 While energy storage may seem like a viable option for standby power initiatives during grid failure, several issues first need to resolved for it to be implemented, South African National Energy Development Institute’s Renewable Energy Centre of Research and Development manager Dr Karen... →

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