Development finance institution the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has signed a collaboration agreement with the Mphanda Nkuwa Hydroelectric Project Implementation Office (GMNK) to develop a 1 500 MW hydropower project and associated transmission facilities to increase access to clean energy in Mozambique and other Southern African countries. The estimated $4.5-billion project will comprise a dam, [...]

Extraction of raw materials will not meet soaring battery demand unless capital markets change course in the face of environmental, social and governance pressures and invest heavily in new mines, says business data and analytics company GlobalData in its 'Batteries – Thematic Research' report. The battery industry is set to be one of the most [...]

Aspasa, formerly known as the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of South Africa, reports that miners of building material commodities are standing ready to assist the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and construction firms to repair roads and essential infrastructure that was damaged in severe recent floods. Sand and aggregates comprise about 70% by volume of the material [...]

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has welcomed the decision of the Labour Court to dismiss the application by steel producer Arcelormittal South Africa (AMSA) to interdict the ongoing national strike at all its plants. Numsa members have been on strike since May 11, demanding a 10% across-the-board wage increase.

South Korean company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced on Monday that the first reactor at its latest nuclear power plant (NPP) had achieved criticality for the first time. Unit 1 at the Shin Hanul NPP reached this operational milestone on Sunday. “In the future, Shin Hanul Unit 1 plans to produce electricity for [...]

An engineering procurement construction management (EPCM) contractor has been appointed to design and construct a lithium pilot processing plant at the Uis Mine in Namibia, technology metals mining company AfriTin Mining stated on Tuesday. This follows metallurgical test work results of the London Aim-listed mining and exploration company showing the successful production of a petalite [...]

Eskom has approached the Constitutional Court to argue that it should not be compelled to provide two of South Africa's most indebted municipalities with more electricity than provided for in supply agreements.  The power utility is seeking leave to appeal a high court ruling from August 2020 that directed it to increase the amount of [...]

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) on May 23 said it was saddened and devastated at the passing of Human Resource and Ethics subcommittee chairperson Dr Namane Magau, who was also a board member of Necsa subsidiary NTP Radioisotopes, on May 20. "She carried her responsibilities steadfastly, with vigour, fairness and integrity until the [...]

The board of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has instructed Sanral management to, within the next four months, readvertise and allocate the R17.47-billion in tenders the board cancelled earlier this month, citing “material irregularities”. Speaking at a media conference in Centurion on Monday, Sanral board chairperson Themba Mhambi added that the board would recruit an [...]

The City of Johannesburg says it plans to partner with independent power producers (IPPs) on a R26-billion electricity investment strategy, which is designed to end load-shedding and place City Power on a more financially and environmentally sustainable footing. The strategy involves a diversification of electricity sources away from Eskom, which currently provides the city with [...]

Diversified group Barloworld has delivered a noteworthy increase in group operating profit of 34.7% year-on-year to R2.8-billion for the first six months ended March 31, despite starting to feel the pinch from Eurasian volatilities. The industrial brand-owner plans on paying a 165c apiece ordinary dividend for the interim period.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has confirmed the registration of the first two 100 MW projects following the August 2021 amendment of Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act allowing sub-100 MW projects to proceed without a licence. Both solar photovoltaic projects are in the North West province and are being developed, [...]