Features | Electrical Power Generation & Transmission

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Electrical Power Generation and Transmission

State would like new and old nuclear options in the energy mix

11th August 2006 State-owned power utility Eskom is studying both a conventional nuclear investment as well as the deployment of the pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) technology in line with government policy, which states that nuclear energy should be included South Africa�s electricity-supply mix. →

eThekwini received US funding for power-infrastructure study

By: Terence Creamer 10th August 2006 A US government agency has awarded a $500 000 (about R3,4-million) grant to the eThekwini municipality, which was to be used to fund a study into the upgrading and integration of the information systems that support the city's power infrastructure. A ceremony confirming the grant was held in... →

Green light for new nuclear in UK

By: Keith Campbell 28th July 2006 The British government earlier this month announced that nuclear power would be an important component in that country’s future energy matrix. →

Government wants State-owned enterprises to go extra mile in developing 'competitive' local suppliers

By: Terence Creamer 28th July 2006 The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and South Africa’s State-owned enterprises (SoEs) are finalising various supplier-development programmes in a bid to raise the level of local content in the multibillion-rand public infrastructure drive, involving large-scale power, transport and... →

Eskom considering World Bank funding for specific projects

By: Terence Creamer 28th July 2006 State-owned power utility Eskom is considering tapping the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank for ‘specific funding’ as it pursues a R97-billion programme to raise its generation capacity, strengthen and expand its transmission network and... →

Electricity-distribution consolidation nudges forward

By: Terence Creamer 26th July 2006 The fraught process of creating metropolitan-level regional electricity distributors, or Reds, nudged forward on Wednesday with the confirmation of sponsors committees in five metropolitan areas. →

Eskom-BHP coal deal might see Ingwe reducing exports

By: Nelendhre Moodley 4th July 2006 The world’s largest diversified natural resources company BHP Billiton has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with local power utility Eskom to explore the conversion of its Optimum coal mine into a domestic producer which would exclusively supply Eskom. →

US government supports American firm and BEE partner in their bid for SA peaking-power project

By: Terence Creamer 30th June 2006 A US government agency has approved a $550 900 technical-assistance grant for a black economic-empowered (BEE) company partnering the giant US energy group, AES, in its bid to build one of the private peaking-power plants currently out to tender from the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME). →

Reunert rebrands its electrical businesses

By: Keith Campbell 30th June 2006 Electrical and electronics group Reunert has rebranded its electrical engineering businesses. →

Electricity-sector privatisation process progressing, says Nigerian official

By: Irma Venter 23rd June 2006 The privatisation of Nigeria’s electricity sector is progressing well, says Nigerian power sector forum senior special assistant to the president Foluseke Somolu. →

Televised power warnings enter national consciousness

By: Jade Davenport 23rd June 2006 The television and radio power alert campaign that was rolled out to the Western and Eastern Cape at the end of May has assumed a countrywide focus with the national rollout of this strategy last week. →

US government backs AES bid for SA peaking-power project

By: Terence Creamer 14th June 2006 A US government agency has approved a $550 900 technical-assistance grant for a black economic-empowered (BEE) company partnering the giant US energy group, AES, in its bid to build one of the private peaking-power plants currently out to tender from the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME).... →

New technology to help cut manufacturing cost of alternative energy source

By: Zonika Botha 26th May 2006 An agreement between the Central Energy Fund (CEF), of South Africa, and IFE, a German company, will help to make solar power a much more cost-effective alternative energy solution for end users. →

Top-notch lightning forecasting buffering industry, insurance and even sport against weather risk

By: Liezel Hill 26th May 2006 Severe and extreme weather moves quickly and can cause momentous damage to life and property in a short period of time, as vividly evidenced by the recent disasters in the Gulf Coast, South-East Asia and Pakistan. As a result, ‘nowcasting’ techniques are becoming increasingly... →

Reunert plans big electrical capex as it gets set to exit defence

By: Terence Creamer 26th May 2006 Engineering and technology group Reunert has outlined an aggressive organic-growth strategy as it seeks to align itself with opportunities set to arise from South Africa’s big public-infrastructure spend of R372-billion over the next four years. →

Accelerated base-load investment in prospect as new Eskom plan takes shape

By: Terence Creamer 19th May 2006 A detailed revision of State-owned power utility Eskom’s capital-expansion plans - which is likely to result in an accelerated and scaled-up investment programme - will be presented for board approval by the third quarter of this year. Work on the new plan began in February, following a... →

R2bn mini coal-corridor project on track

By: Terence Creamer 19th May 2006 State-owned enterprises Eskom and Transnet are close to concluding a deal for the construction of a dedicated railway spur from Ermelo, in Mpumalanga, to the Majuba power station in Kwazulu-Natal. →

Power infrastructure spending to boost Altron's order book

By: Zonika Botha 19th May 2006 State-owned electricity utility Eskom’s planned infrastructure expenditure of R93-billion over the next five years represents revenue-generating opportunities of between R1,1-billion and 1,8-billion a year for Powertech, a division of the Altron group. →

Namibia considers options as SA's power crisis bites

By: Irma Venter 19th May 2006 Namibia has installed electricity capacity of 384 MW. However, demand has reached more than 500 MW, and at 2% projected annual growth, this will peak at 600 MW in 2022, says national power utility NamPower Kudu project leader Margaret van der Merwe. →

New Western Cape peaking plants to be handed to Eskom by April

By: Irma Venter 19th May 2006 The Western Cape’s two new open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) plants will be handed over to Eskom in April next year, says Siemens Power Generation Germany new plants and service sales director (Africa) Olaf W →

Alpha could spark base-load bonanza

By: Terence Creamer 12th May 2006 Energy levels on the third-floor executive suite at Eskom’s Megawatt Park are arguably reaching a level where the utility should consider tapping into them as part of a winter-peak mitigation plan. →

Engineers who want to be submerged

By: Keith Campbell 12th May 2006 Getting marine engineers into shipshape →

R20bn-plus baseload power station certain, site still undecided

By: Terence Creamer 27th April 2006 An announcement by State-owned electricity utility Eskom regarding a R20-billion-plus coal-fired base-load power station, dubbed Project Alpha, is reportedly imminent. In a recent interview, CEO Thulani Gcabashe told Engineering News that the investment had been sanctioned by the Eskom board and... →

Eskom targets SA expats at UK jobs fair

By: Terence Creamer 26th April 2006 Power utility Eskom is sending a team of 12 recruitment specialists to the UK over the weekend to participate in a 'jobs fair' arranged specifically for South Africans and those keen to work in South Africa. →

Eskom to release 'Project Alpha' details next week

By: Terence Creamer 25th April 2006 State electricity utility Eskom should release details of a new coal-fired base-load power station, dubbed Project Alpha, next week, CEO Thulani Gcabashe has told Engineering News. In an interview, Gcabashe revealed that the Eskom board had sanctioned the 1 000-MW-plus investment, but confirmed... →

Equipment supplier jumps the queue with short lead times

By: Laura Tyrer 21st April 2006 While increasing power demands have caught most utility and equipment suppliers off guard, Zest is one step ahead, offering short lead-delivery times for its WEG transformers. →

Communications at the highest level facilitate supply of key component

By: Keith Campbell 21st April 2006 SA President Thabo Mbeki contacted French President Jacques Chirac to request his assistance to get a replacement rotor for the Koeberg nuclear power station’s damaged unit 1. →

Hope for IPPs?

By: Laura Tyrer 21st April 2006 While the recent power problems in the Western Cape have given impetus and a greater sense of urgency to Eskom’s development plan, Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) is providing financing for private-sector power-generation projects. →

Keeping the balance in power-station fan technology

21st April 2006 The trend in fan technology for larger coal-fired power stations built in Europe and elsewhere is toward axial flow fans. →

Equipment supplier switched on to power opportunities

By: Laura Tyrer 21st April 2006 The upcoming infrastructure development and refurbishment projects in South Africa’s power-generation sector are a source of opportunity for equipment supplier Moeller Electric. →

Project finance – the solution to Africa’s economic ills?

21st April 2006 Power generation, a commodity which is generally scarce on the African continent, can create nodes of economic activity that can benefit the local community and help develop small and medium-sized enterprises. →

Universal power standard to aid accurate measurement

21st April 2006 Tool distributor Comtest has introduced the first truly universal power standard, the Fluke 6100A Electrical Power Standard. →

BEE group in the race to keep pace with electricity demand

21st April 2006 Rapidly-growing demand for new ?power-generation capacity and extension of electricity transmission and distribution networks throughout Southern Africa, particularly in South Africa, has brought the main players to the fore offering the required solutions. →

New power company to evaluate engineering, manufacturing and erection capabilities of 45 local firms

By: Laura Tyrer 21st April 2006 In preparing to bid for Eskom’s new coal-fired base-load power station, recently-launched Hitachi Power Africa (HPA) has engaged in a local capability survey. The survey is examining the engineering, manufacturing and erection capabilities of about 45 South African engineering companies.... →

National integrated resource plan under review

By: Laura Tyrer 21st April 2006 In light of the growing international trend towards renewable energy as a contributor to future energy needs, South Africa’s National Energy Regulator (Nersa) will include a ?least-cost renewable energy scenario in its upcoming national integrated resource plan (NIRP). →

New control solution a sweet success

21st April 2006 Indian sugar company Dhampur Sugar Mills has implemented a cost-effective solution to dramatically reduce maintenance costs and enhance system reliability at its Rauzagaon facility. →

New Botswana power station study streaking ahead

By: Mariaan Webb 14th April 2006 The Mmamabula energy project in Botswana, which could potentially supply South Africa with a significant amount of electricity by 2011, has reached a feasibility stage. →

Eskom mulls smelter interruptions as power squeeze bites

By: Terence Creamer 7th April 2006 Electricity utility Eskom will consider invoking the interruptability clauses it has with various energy-intensive clients, particularly those in the metals sector, as the reserve position between South Africa’s winter peak and its installed power capacity continues to narrow. →

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