RE: Another good day22 Oct 2020 10:49
https://www.esi-africa.com/industry-sectors/generation/south-africas-reipppp-bid-window-5-is-on-the-way/
Expanding South Africa’s energy capacity is the only way to save the country’s economy, according to the South African Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe.
Addressing a joint sitting of South Africa’s parliament in a debate around the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, minced no words when he pointed out the plan would only work if the country had access to reliable and affordable energy.
He pointed out his Department is fully implementing the Integrated Resource Plan and will deliver 16,313MW from a mix of energy sources. These include procuring:
2,000MW of emergency power to meet short-term electricity gap which should be connected to the national grid by Jun 2022.
11,813MW from various source: 6,800MW from solar PV and wind; 513 from energy storage; 3,000MW from gas; and 1,500 from coal.
“For this purpose, we gazetted the Section 34 Ministerial Determinations with the intention to urgently connect new generation capacity to the national grid. Requests for Proposals will be issued in December to enable the opening of various bid windows, including bid window 5 of renewable energy,” explained Mantashe. Responses to the request for information for a 2,500MW nuclear build are currently being evaluated.
The Department has also enabled 97MW of self-generation for own use through a gazetted amendment of Schedule 2 of the Electricity Act to exempt categories of generation facilities under 1MW and resellers from the requirement to hold a generation licence. “NERSA has already registered 156 self-generation facilities under 1MW, with a total installed capacity of 72MW,” said Mantashe.
That same gazetted amendment gave effect to the provision for distributed generation in the IRP2019 for facilities of 1MW and above, removing the need for ministerial approval for deviation from the IRP before NERSA can process a generation licence application. “To date NERSA has approved 5 applications with a total capacity of 25MW.”
Gazetted amendments to Electricity Regulation on new generation capacity will also enable municipalities in good financial standing to develop their own power generation projects. The amendments clarify the regime applicable to municipalities when requesting determinations under section 34 of the Electricity Amendment Act.
Mantashe pointed out Eskom is working to improve its maintenance programme, achieve operation and finance stability and unbundle the utility in line with the roadmap.
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