ESI-AFRICA.COM - The Power Journal of Africa

US energy mission to visit Africa

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:06:32 +0200

Washington DC, United States --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 03 February 2012 - The government of the United States is sending an energy trade mission to Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana to look at potential investment projects with the aim of enhancing the countries' ability to generate electric power.

One billion people have no access to electricity

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:32 +0200

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 03 February 2012 - More than a billion people in the world still lack access to electricity, while another one billion have unreliable access, hampering efforts to improve health and livelihoods, and to conserve the environment.

Uganda slashes government budgets to pay for power

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:55:38 +0200

Kampala, Uganda --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 03 February 2012 - The government of Uganda has been forced to slash ministry and other departmental budgets as it scrambles to avert a crisis in the face of private power generators threatening to plunge the country into darkness over hundreds of billions of shillings in unpaid arrears.

Another appeal for renewable energy in Namibia

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:49:37 +0200

Tsumkwe, Namibia --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 03 February 2012 - The Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN) has called on the government of Namibia to incorporate renewable energy into the mainstream of the country’s energy supply.

Making the appeal here, DRFN associate, Mary Seely said this process should be spearheaded by large utilities and electricity distributors, rather than small non-governmental organisations.

2018 coal shortfall is a priority concern for future power

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:57:04 +0200

Cape Town, South Africa --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 02 February 2012 - Unlocking South Africa's junior mining sector ‒ which could include consolidation among producers ‒ is considered a key factor in helping South African national power utility Eskom Holdings to fill a 40Mt shortfall in domestic coal supply forecast for 2018.

CCMA orders Eskom to increase wages

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:52:32 +0200

Johannesburg, South Africa --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 02 February 2012 - The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has clarified the details of its arbitration award handed down against South African national power utility Eskom Holdings on 23 December 2011.

In a statement here welcoming the arbitration decision and clarification, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) explained that Eskom had taken its dispute with the NUM on the unilateral implementation of a 7% wage increase to the CCMA for compulsory arbitration. The arbitrator had ruled that Eskom must increase its wage increment by an additional 1.1% retrospective from July 2011, and by 8.1% in 2012. The utility was also ordered to increase its housing allowance by R500 to R2,000 a month.

China spends US$50 billion a year on renewable energy

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:47:09 +0200

Beijing, China --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 02 February 2012 - Growing urbanisation and the resultant environmental threats it generates has led the government of China to invest nearly US$50 billion annually on the development of its renewable energy sector since 2009.

China's five-year investment in environmental protection is on track to reach US$454 billion. By 2015, its environmental protection industry is expected to top US$317 billion.

Eskom investigates vending system problem

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:39:00 +0200

Johannesburg, South Africa --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 02 February 2012 - Eskom Holdings is investigating the cause of slow performance on its prepaid online vending system, the South African national power utility has confirmed.

The system is used by prepaid customers to purchase electricity tokens.

Eskom concerned about coal supply beyond 2018

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:31:39 +0200

Johannesburg, South Africa --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 01 February 2012 - South African national power utility Eskom Holdings has registered concern about the security of coal supply beyond 2018, saying its suppliers are more interested in the higher paying Asian export markets.

Spokeswoman Hilary Joffe said that although current coal stockpiles were healthy at just over 40 days’ supply, new supplies after 2018 were not secured. “We are concerned about the security of supply beyond 2018. Investments should already be happening to provide mining capacity for coal we are going to need in the long term because our stations’ lives are 40 to 50 years,” she added.

New milestone achieved at Cahora Bassa

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:24:58 +0200

Maputo, Mozambique --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 01 February 2012 - The hydro-geological studies for construction of the Northern Plant of the giant Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Facility (HCB) in Mozambique have been concluded, reaching a new milestone in the history of the giant power project.

New link to Mozambique power grid

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:18:16 +0200

Maputo, Mozambique --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 01 February 2012 - The island of Ibo, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, has been linked up to the country’s national power grid, state electricity company Electricidade de Moçambique (EdM) has revealed.

In a statement published here, EdM also said that the project, which cost US$6 million, included 7 km of medium voltage cables, 10km of undersea cables between Quissanga and Ibo, as well as two e 2 transformation posts.

SA may import more power from neighbours

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:31:52 +0200

Johannesburg, South Africa --- ESI-POWER.COM --- 31 January 2012 - South African national power utility Eskom Holdings is considering importing more electricity from its neighbours as its own power resources are expected to remain tight for at least the next two years.

SADC power delegation to visit Zimbabwe this week

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:25:16 +0200

Harare, Zimbabwe --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 31 January 2012 - A 30-member delegation from the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC’s) Directorate of Infrastructure and Services will be visiting Zimbabwe this week to discuss the possibilities for future co-operation in the energy field.

Ngove dam to start operating in August

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:16:48 +0200

Huambo, Angola --- ESI-POWER.COM --- 31 January 2012 - Angolan energy and water minister João Baptista Borges has announced that the inauguration of the Ngove hydroelectric dam ‒ which will serve the provinces of Huambo and Bié ‒ is scheduled to take place in August.

Essential maintenance slashes Eskom power margins

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:31:07 +0200

Johannesburg, South Africa --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 30 January 2012 - At one point in January, peak demand of 30,282MW in South Africa was met by available capacity of 30,742MW ‒ a margin of only 1.5% or 460MW (which is less than one generating unit at a modern coal generating plant) The internationally accepted safe margin is 15%.