Page 3 - Energize August 2021

FROM THE EDITOR:

When everything changed

For me, and possibly for many in the industry, the memory of the
events of August 2021 will be bitter-sweet.
by Roger Lilley, Now Media

ugust is Women’s Month, and every year many Thus, Medupi is not complete, and Eskom will require an
companies showcase their efforts to neutralise additional R2-billion and two years to replace the generator.
Ahistorical gender differentials in the workplace. The Even then, it won’t be complete until 2030, at the earliest,
promotion of women, the specialised training of women, and once all the pollution-mitigating equipment has been installed.
the appointment of women to positions previously held by We really look forward to the completion of this mega-
men, is the focus of many of the press releases published in project, so this news is disheartening.
this month’s issue. At the same time, reports of floods, droughts, heatwaves,
But in the middle of August, the renewable energy sector and other extreme climatic conditions around the world serve
was shocked and saddened to hear of the loss of one of to remind us that the ongoing use of fossil-fuels for electricity
its most charismatic and determined female promoters, generation and transportation is literally costing us the earth.
Ntombifuthi (“Ntombi”) Ntuli, the CEO of the South African However, all is not yet lost. August 2021 might even go
Wind Energy Association (SAWEA). Mercia Grimbeek, down in history as being the month when the beginnings of a
SAWEA’s chairperson, said: “Ntombi changed the face of the truly privatised power industry for South Africa was born.
wind industry in our country. She made the industry relatable The minister of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE)
with her ability to engage with the most stubborn naysayer, finally published an amendment to the Electricity Act of 2006.
helping them to see her point of view and winning everyone This long-awaited amendment allows the private sector to
over with her charming smile and her calm strength.” generate and distribute electricity for its own use and sell
The month could also be remembered as the time when any surplus to other users. The insistence of a “single buyer”
many businessmen graciously offered pro-bono services and (meaning Eskom) seems to have been overcome. Not only
even offered free products to those who had been devastated that, but those wishing to generate electricity are now exempt
by July’s looting and destruction following the imprisonment from the complex licencing requirements as long as they don’t
of a popular politician. exceed 100 MW.
August might even be remembered as “Medupi month”. This is certainly good news to a country and an economy
On 31 July, Eskom proudly announced that the Medupi power which has been hamstrung by the state-owned power
station was “finally complete”. At least that’s the impression the utility’s inability to ensure a reliable supply of electricity
power utility’s statement gave. On its website, the utility reported over the last 15 years. If 100 companies were to generate
that Unit one, the last of the six Units to be constructed and 100 MW each, we’d have 30% of South Africa’s power
connected to the grid, had successfully reached commercial generation in private hands.
operation status and had been handed over to Eskom’s While this amendment is sure to address the critical
Generation division. The statement went on to say: “This shortage of power in the country, it might even help to
milestone marks the completion of all building activities on the alleviate the need for the DMRE’s risk mitigation IPP
4764 MW project, which commenced in May 2007.” programme which is likely to be stalled for some time as
Sadly, that’s not quite true though. The utility has losing companies fight legal battles to oust winning bidders.
subsequently admitted that it needs a further R40-billion Other good news comes from the renewable energy
to install the mandatory flue gas desulphurisation and sector which reports ever-increasing new privately-owned
other pollution-mitigating equipment to all six of Medupi’s solar PV and wind farms being completed and connected to
generating units. This equipment is mandatory in terms of the the national grid. With the recent awarding of Bid Window 5
US$3,75-billion World Bank loan Eskom was granted, and projects, we look forward to more renewable energy projects
also in terms of South Africa’s air quality laws. reaching commercial operation status and supplying much-
Furthermore, the utility could not have foreseen the needed power soon.
events that occurred on Sunday 8 August when, according Who could have thought that so much could change in a
to Eskom’s press release dated 9 August, ”a deviation from single month?
procedure” led to a massive explosion which completely
destroyed the power station’s Unit 4 generator. Send your comments to rogerl@nowmedia.co.za

energize | August 2021 | 1