E-Newsletter for the Power & Energy Sectors of Southern Africa
Issue 95, Feb 2016
COP 21 outcomes and the implications for South Africa's energy future by Dave Collins, Mac Consulting
COP 21, the latest in a series of United Nations negotiations on emissions reduction and climate change, closed with a statement known as the Paris Agreement, which is generally seen to have been a very... (more)
Industry outrage at unilateral directive ending partial testing by SABS
by Chris Yelland and Pierre Potgieter, EE Publishers
An internal directive by South African Bureau of Standards CEO Dr. Boni Mehlomakulu in 2015 requires that SABS Test House only perform "full testing" in future, and puts an end to "partial testing" by the SABS... (more)
Safety last, and no power to the people
by Aimèe Clarke, EE Publishers
The general public is regularly encouraged to report illegal electricity connections, and while some may choose to turn a blind eye and let the poor steal what government has not yet provided, other citizens do... (more)
The Jacob Marley column: Addressing a culture of non-payment
Thirty years and R9-billion arrears later, it should be clear to most that Eskom has not made a success of distributing electricity in Soweto. But it is not only Eskom that is the loser. We all are. Permit me to briefly recap how Eskom came to be distributing... (more)
Public hearings: over 8000 submissions oppose Eskom price increases
by Joanne Taylor, EE Publishers
Despite the cancellation by the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) of the public hearings in the Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, the hearings took place in the major cities around the country, and ended on a high note... (more)
Chairman's report highlights SA successes
by Rob Stephen, Cigre
South Africa has continued to fare extremely well in Cigré internationally and this is reflected by the election to senior positions of South African delegates by the international community. So says Rob Stephen in his annual report... (more)
The supercritical CO2 power cycle: a possible replacement for steam?
by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers
Thermal power stations will still be with us for many decades to come. Development in this field is focussed on increasing efficiency and decreasing dependence on water and other resources. Most coal fired stations are based on the... (more)
Energy management: integrated measuring technology solutions
by Michael Moller, Krohne
Given the rising costs of raw materials and energy, companies must now come to terms with the issue of energy management more than ever before. An essential building block here is in-house energy balancing. It helps reduce energy costs while... (more)
A different approach to electricity smart metering
by Dirk de Vos, QED Solutions
If South Africa is to address its mounting electricity problems, only looking to address the generation and grid infrastructure is not going to be sufficient. Energy efficiency on the part of all consumers is critical. Energy efficiency has transitioned from... (more)
The impact of rain on insulator performance
Information from Cigre
Laboratory and field experience toward guidelines for the selection of insulators under rain condition, including heavy rain. There is concern, supported by some field experience, that the standardised wet test methods may not be sufficient to cater for... (more)
DC currents in regulating transformers and tap-changer operation
Information from ABB
A phenomenon that many people underestimate or are not aware of is the potential impact of DC components in regulating transformers and their on-load tap-changers. There are several phenomena that can cause DC components, even in normal... (more)
Compact AC transmission lines provide solutions to servitude problems
by Mike Rycroft, features editor, EE Publishers
Limitations on existing servitudes and difficulties in obtaining new servitudes are necessitating the upgrade of existing routes to higher power ratings. Existing tower designs and insulator equipment limit the extent to which this can be done... (more)
Biofuel and energy crops for electricity production
by Mike Rycroft, features editor, EE Publishers
The IEA estimates that by 2050, world biomass power production will increase almost tenfold, to 3000 TWh. Some of this will come from existing biomass sources, such as forest and agricultural waste, but much will come from new... (more)
Controlling distributed power generation systems
Information from Beckhoff Automation
Feeding power into the energy grid from renewable sources can result in strong fluctuations of network loads. These require intervention by the grid operators, in order to avoid power failures as well as voltage or frequency variations... (more)
Using statcoms for voltage dip mitigation
by Dale Pudney and Brandon Craytor, EOH Power Systems
Most modern industrial plants have sensitive equipment to achieve precise control over the manufacturing process. Sensitive equipment needs very good power quality to ensure that it operates correctly. Poor power quality (e.g. harmonics and voltage dips) will... (more)
Explosion-proof electrical equipment
by Mike Rycroft, features editor, EE Publishers
Accidental or naturally occurring explosive atmospheres (encountered as a result of the process, activity or product within the environment), are encountered in many industrial and mining situations. In these conditions a single small spark can initiate a... (more)
Power Developments in Africa
Compiled by Aimée Clarke, EE Publishers
Fuel refineries back in production
10 MW PV plant for Gambia
Coal-to-power project advancing in Tanzania
First solar power plants in Zimbabwe
A 300 MW coal-fired power plant for Mozambique
Loans granted for hydropower project
Work begins on Djibouti's 300 MW solar project
Power plants converted to "combined cycle"
Zambian president reverses decision to hike electricity tariffs... (more)
