Clariant: SA - Energy Management Services Progress Report
GENERAL
NEWS ARTICLE
South Africa's energy supply
South Africa's steady economic growth as it increasingly focuses on industrialisation, together with its mass th electrification programme to take power into deep rural areas, has seen a steep increase in the demand for electricity. In fact, South Africa's energy demand is expected to be twice the current levels by 2030. y Years of underinvestment in the country's power infrastructure has meant that energy demands are rising faster than Eskom, the state-owned company in charge of the majority of energy generation and owned distribution, can meet them. Together with Eskom, the government's Department of Energy has embarked on a massive programme to bring the electricity supply and distribution system into balance. With an infrastructural price tag of around R340-billion, Eskom is building new power stations, including Medupi in Limpopo that will make its first contribution to the grid by 2013, and Kusile, which will come on stream in mid mid-2014.
Green energy
South Africa, which has always been heavily dependent on coal, is looking at ways to diversify its powerpower generating capacity. The Development Bank, the Treasury and Eskom are working on a renewable energy programme that involves independent power producers. The government is also looking to support sustainable green energy initiatives on a national scale through energy a diverse range of clean-energy options as envisaged in the Integrated Resource Plan 2010. In terms of this energy plan, which is a 20-year projection on electricity demand and production, about 42% of electricity year generated must come from renewable resources. rated The Integrated Municipal Infrastructure Project will focus on 23 of the least resourced districts, and address least-resourced all the upgrades and backlogs – including in electricity – needed to serve the 17-million people living in million livin those areas.
All Rights Reserved | EMS Division SA | Chris Heunis
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