The National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved a plan to allow Eskom to buy 344.5MW of new generation capacity from solar and battery energy storage.
The regulator also approved the national free basic electricity rate of 172.76c per kilowatt-hour for the 2023/24 municipal financial year, effective from July 1.
Regulators’ contingency planning for possible grid shutdown
The Financial Sector Contingency Forum, which includes the central bank and other financial regulators, said they continue to plan “for the improbable but not impossible scenario of a national electricity grid shutdown” with a view to mitigating the impact on the financial system and the economy.
Solar panel demand soars in Cape Town
Cape Town has seen a record number of applications to install solar power as the electricity shortage worsens.
More than 2,300 requests have been made this year by the end of April, with close to 700 in March the highest to date, the City of Cape Town said. As an incentive, the city will offer to buy excess rooftop solar power from businesses and homes from later this year.
‘Eskom CEO shortlist includes Ayanda Noah, Marokane’
Ayanda Noah, chair of the Central Energy Fund and former executive for customer services at Eskom, and Dan Marokane, Eskom’s former head of group capital, have been shortlisted to take over as the utility’s CEO, the Solidarity labour union said.
Marokane was Solidarity’s top pick, with Noah the second choice, the union said, without naming other candidates. The information on the shortlist was communicated directly by Eskom, said Theuns du Buisson, an economic researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute.
Eskom denied it had communicated any information about the shortlist because discretion and confidentiality were essential when hiring executives.
“We can confirm at this stage we have concluded the interviews and will announce the successful candidate at the appropriate time,” it said it a text message.
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