SA power constraint an ‘underappreciated’ growth threat

South Africa’s power supply constraint has the potential to act as a “hand brake” on the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth outlook and is an “underappreciated” downside risk, a domestic banking group has warned. In fact,...

Xstrata switches off two Rustenburg furnaces

Two of the six furnaces at Xstrata’s Rustenburg operation had been switched off for maintenance, spokesperson Songezo Zibi said on Monday. The two furnaces were due for scheduled maintenance during the winter months.

Resources Watch

This week: Eskom is still pursuing a mandatory savings ‘safety net’. Pan African Resources and Wits Gold bid R1.7-billion for Harmony’s Evander mine. And, platinum junior Sable Platinum explores new opportunities along the Bushveld Complex.

Eskom still pursuing mandatory savings 'safety net'

State-owned power utility Eskom has reiterated its call for South Africans to urgently reduce electricity demand by 10%, or some 3 000 MW, adding that it is continuing to pursue plans to ensure that the energy conservation scheme (ECS) be made...

Energy-intensive users prepared to reduce demand

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Power utility Eskom’s biggest industrial customers, mainly mining and manufacturing companies, on Tuesday indicated that they would scale down demand to prevent rolling blackouts if the country’s electricity...

Energy intensive users prepared to reduce demand

Power utility Eskom’s biggest industrial customers, mainly mining and manufacturing companies, on Tuesday indicated that they would scale down demand to prevent rolling blackouts if the country’s electricity situation deteriorated. Eskom this...

Despite renewables push, coal still provides 80% of SA’s solid, liquid energy requirements and 90% of electricity

In South Africa, the recent sharp energy increases have placed the spotlight on the cost and supply of energy in the future. “Further, the nuclear crisis in Japan and the recent cabinet acceptance of the Integrated Resources Programme (IRP) have...

Minister reserves corrective coal action right, pleads for industry cooperation

South Africa’s Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu on Wednesday reserved the right to take corrective measures to ensure that South Africa has sufficient coal for power generation, but backed off the widely expected step of declaring coal...

Namibia’s mining growth to boost demand for electricity

Namibia’s electricity demand is expected to increase rapidly on the back of an expansion in the country’s mining industry, particularly in the uranium sector. Frost & Sullivan energy and power systems research analyst Sandra Ayingono said...

Global consumption of uranium to quadruple over next 30 years

A leading academic predicts that the global demand for mined uranium will rise at least four times over the next 30 years. It would be driven by rising electricity demands and the scaling back of fossil fuels.

SA regulator to probe power utility’s primary energy costs

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) would conduct an investigation into Eskom’s primary energy costs, and specifically the cost of coal, to establish the “prudence of the costs”, chairperson Collin Matjila reported on...

Coal consumption outpaced oil and gas in 2008, says BP

World coal consumption grew faster than oil, natural gas and electricity demand for a sixth year in 2008, BP said last week. Coal use expanded 3,1% to 3,30-billion tons of oil equivalent, London-based BP said in its annual Statistical Review of...