Hogan Lovells Publications | Energy Alert | 21 November 2016
Projects and energy weekly snippet
Weekly projects and energy updates in South Africa
Media not welcome at department’s briefing on nuclear build programme
The Department of Energy’s briefing on the nuclear build programme to Parliament’s energy portfolio committee will be a closed meeting with no media or members of the public present, committee chairman Fikile Majola announced on Tuesday.
The decision marks a step backwards in Majola’s otherwise forthright push for greater transparency from the department, which has been intent on withholding documents on the nuclear procurement programme.
The sitting was yet to be scheduled.
Business Day, 15 November 2016
As DoE prepares to release IRP, all eyes will be on nuclear
The Department of Energy (DoE) will on Tuesday 22 November release the long-awaited draft of the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electricity, as well as the draft Integrated Energy Plan (IEP).
The release, which will take place in Pretoria, follows the Cabinet decision of 2 November to direct the department to release the two documents for public consultation.
Much attention is likely to be given to the contents of the updated IRP, especially the allocation for any new nuclear capacity in the future electricity mix.
Engineering News, 17 November 2016
SA now has surplus power capacity
South Africa’s power system has progressed to a position of surplus capacity‚ opening opportunities to extend regional interconnections and to accommodate a changing power generation mix to grow the country’s economy‚ Eskom said on Saturday.
The electricity parastal said it had committed itself to continue its investment in transmission infrastructure and to leverage advanced technology solutions for a reliable and sustainable power grid.
Business Day, 13 November 2016
SA’s slump in African renewables index reflects Eskom-induced uncertainty
South Africa’s ranking in a continent-wide renewable-energy index has plummeted, reflecting the current market uncertainty that has arisen as a result of Eskom’s refusal to sign power purchase agreements (PPAs) with preferred bidders named following the most recent auctions held under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
In fact, South Africa has fallen off the November Fieldstone Africa Renewable Index (FARI) entirely, having topped its ranking only four months earlier.
The recently launched FARI is published three times a year and, in the inaugural June 2016 iteration, South Africa was the leading country, followed by Morocco, Uganda and Egypt.
ESI Africa, 15 November 2016
ACWA Power wins US$220m solar power deal in Morocco
A consortium led by Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power International has won a US$220 million contract to build three solar power plants totalling 170 MW in Morocco and Western Sahara, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
ACWA will build and operate a 70 MW solar plant in the southern city of Ouarzazte and two others of 80 MW and 20 MW in Western Sahara's Laayoune and Boujdour.
ESI Africa, 17 November 2016
The above reflects a summary of certain news articles published during the preceding week. It is not an expression of opinion in respect of each matter, nor may it be considered as a disclosure of advice by any employee of Hogan Lovells.
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