From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon O'Donnell.

Making headlines today:

State electricity utility Eskom has released its long-awaited expression of interest for new base-load independent power producers, or IPPs, to fill an anticipated supply gap of some 2 100 mega watts ahead of the possible deployment of large-scale nuclear capacity.

In an advert published in a daily newspaper on Wednesday, the utility invited interested parties to bid to supply ‘new multiple site base-load IPPs', with a minimum capacity of 400 mega watts, and indicated that requests for proposals to pre-qualified bidders could be issued by July.


Meanwhile, the utility, which has requested a 60% upward revision in its tariffs for the 2008/9 financial period, is expected to receive a term sheet from the National Treasury in the next couple of weeks confirming the 60-billion rand shareholder injection promised by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel in his February Budget speech, as well as an outline of various scenarios for the actual transfer of the funds.

An Eskom source said the precise nature and detail of the payment schedule would depend heavily on the outcome of its tariff application to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

The shareholder injection was viewed as crucial in helping the State-owned utility to safeguard its much-coveted BBB+ credit rating with Standard & Poor's, which placed the utility on a negative credit watch earlier this year.

Anglo American CEO Cynthia Carroll was in Johannesburg this week to receive new-order mineral rights for the group's South African coal, ferrous metals, base metals and its other platinum businesses.

The only remaining loose ends relate to Anglo Platinum's 50:50 joint venture, or JV, partnerships with black economically empowered mining companies Royal Bafokeng Resources and African Rainbow Minerals.

A Department of Minerals and Energy spokesperson explained that the submissions from the two 50:50 JVs in question were being finalised, which was why they were not being grouped with the Anglo Platinum rights that had been granted. Carrol said, however, that the completion of those specific transactions was imminent.

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National Union of Mineworkers, or NUM, president Senzeni Zokwana denounced at the Anglo tripartite safety summit in Johannesburg, on Tuesday, that mine workers were being incentivised in the same way as taxi drivers, that is, to take risks and to get killed in the process.

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He said that NUM could help the industry to perform safely and profitably, but there would have to be a rethink.

He added that new legislation was in place, but little had changed, and that production driven processes should be changed to safety-driven processes.

Also making headlines:

Biofuels halt would ease food prices says agricultural lobby group
Nationwide Airlines ceases operations
South Africa's balance sheet, not Eskom's, should be used to fund expansion, veteran economist argues
Aurelian Resources halts Ecuador drilling and cuts jobs
Foreign companies seek to invest in Zambia coal mine
And, Anglo says it is ready to shut mines where safety dictates

In political news:

African diplomacy has failed in Zimbabwe says the MDC
Zimbabwe army backs militants in poll violence says the Human Rights Watch
High Court to rule on prepaid water meters
And, the DA asks that South African borders be better patrolled

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories, visit engineeringnews.co.za, miningweekly.com and polity.org.za