Terence Creamer
Terence Creamer is the Editor of Engineering News and a Deputy Editor for Mining Weekly. He also has editorial responsibility for Polity.org.za and Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa.
Shift in focus
14th July 2023 While it is far too early to declare victory over loadshedding, with many perils still to overcome across many fronts, Electricity Minister Dr... →
As cold front hits, Ramokgopa expects loadshedding intensity to remain in check as attention turns to reducing frequency of cuts
9th July 2023 Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the first part of the Energy Action Plan’s (EAP’s) two-part goal of reducing the intensity of... →
Help or hindrance?
7th July 2023 It’s far from ideal that several of South Africa’s main micro-economic problems are being managed by crisis committees made up of government... →
Updated loadshedding code includes up to 16 stages to reduce grid-collapse risk
4th July 2023 A new and updated edition of the loadshedding code of practice, which includes up to 16 stages of loadshedding, has been finalised by and expert... →
Least-cost foundation
30th June 2023 There is no question that South Africa truly does need to update its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), with the demand, supply and technology cost... →
Eskom’s ‘onerous’ new grid access rules receive cool reception
27th June 2023 Eskom’s newly released Interim Grid Capacity Allocation Rules (IGCAR), formulated in response to surging demand for grid access in a context of... →
Weather and winter tariff on large users helping to moderate electricity demand
26th June 2023 Eskom is expecting demand for the rest of South Africa’s winter months to remain below levels initially assumed when the utility finalised its base... →
Energy trading firm believes revenue-neutral wheeling model can help curb municipal grid defection
23rd June 2023 Regulator-licensed South African electricity trader Enpower Trading is promoting wheeling and trading over municipal networks as a way of... →
Explaining is losing
23rd June 2023 The hackneyed political phrase ‘if you're explaining, you're losing’, probably best describes the predicament in which the South African government... →
Two-thirds of energy transition finance in developing economies to be private – report
21st June 2023 Yearly clean energy investments in emerging and developing economies will need to more than triple from $770-billion currently to as much as... →
Eskom’s new grid queuing rules governed by ‘first ready, first served’ approach
20th June 2023 State-owned electricity utility Eskom is preparing to issue updated grid queuing rules that will outline how it plans to manage scarce grid... →
Mining of tax data highlights importance of metros in driving growth and jobs
19th June 2023 South Africa has started to mine its tax records in a bid to produce highly localised spatial economic data that will offer city and municipal... →
National Logistics Crisis Committee to tackle transport emergencies in parallel to reform agenda
13th June 2023 The National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) will adopt a two-pronged approach to addressing the rail, port and road crises currently undermining... →
Presidency outlines criteria to be used before revising coal decommissioning schedule
9th June 2023 The Presidency has moved to outline the criteria that will be used before any decision is made to delay the decommissioning of certain coal-fired... →
Power of reform
9th June 2023 For several years, certain forward-looking commentators argued that by making only a minor amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation... →
Patel again expresses optimism that South Africa will retain Agoa status
7th June 2023 Trade, Competition and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel has again expressed optimism that South Africa will be able to convince the US Congress to... →
Top CEOs sign up to help tackle South Africa’s energy, transport and crime crises
7th June 2023 CEOs from some of South Africa’s largest companies – including Sasol’s Fleetwood Grobler, Anglo American’s Nolitha Fakude, former Exxaro CEO... →
Private sector technical teams to begin work at four troubled coal stations
5th June 2023 Private sector support teams, assembled with the support of the R100-million Resource Mobilization Fund (RMF), will be deployed soon across four... →
Ramokgopa describes five-year emergency powership term as ‘non-negotiable’
2nd June 2023 Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has reiterated his position that any procurement of electricity from powerships should be limited to... →
Vital overhaul
2nd June 2023 One of the ironies about South Africa’s use of competitive bidding for just about all public procurement, from the purchase of office stationery to... →
Climate commission calls for revised IRP to upscale renewables allocation to 60 GW by 2030
1st June 2023 The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is recommending that the next edition of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which is currently under... →
Ramokgopa says 2GW of powership capacity to be procured for five years
1st June 2023 Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa confirmed with lawmakers this week that government intends pushing ahead with the procurement of... →
10 GW distributed generation pipeline to help close shortfall in time – Ramaphosa
31st May 2023 While warning of a difficult winter for electricity security, President Cyril Ramaphosa has again moved to highlight the success of a recent market... →
Ramokgopa in conversation with Karpowership on five- to ten-year contracts
30th May 2023 South Africa’s Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is having discussions with Karpowership about the potential for introducing the... →
Limited nature of Electricity Minister’s new powers confirmed by Presidency
27th May 2023 The Presidency insists that the transfer of responsibility for Section 34(1) of the Electricity Regulation Act to Electricity Minister Dr... →
President transfers limited powers to procure new electricity generation from Mantashe to Ramokgopa
26th May 2023 Following more than two months of uncertainty and reported Cabinet infighting, President Cyril Ramaphosa has transferred Ministerial powers... →
Action, not distraction
26th May 2023 Political and social turbulence has swirled fiercely ever since former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter appeared in that explosive television interview in... →
Patel says South Africa values trade with US ‘enormously’ amid Agoa fears
24th May 2023 Amid diplomatic tensions with the US over an alleged sale of arms to Russia, South Africa is continuing to make the case for its ongoing... →
Draft procurement legislation points to shift away from one-size-fits-all model
23rd May 2023 The National Treasury has provided insight into some of the legislative changes that have been proposed in the long-awaited Public Procurement... →
Despite low risk of blackout, Eskom’s restoration protocols should be paired with larger country plan
19th May 2023 Amid rising public anxiety over the prospect of a blackout, a former senior Eskom executive has added his voice to those highlighting the low... →
Enviro department evaluating EIAs for renewables projects with a combined capacity of 9 789 MW
19th May 2023 Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy reports that the department’s environmental impact assessment section is currently... →
That blackout feeling
19th May 2023 There is justifiable concern that South Africa’s grid could collapsed this winter given ongoing high breakdowns across the Eskom coal fleet, the... →
Makwana hints at possible legal action against De Ruyter
18th May 2023 Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwana has indicated that the current board is preparing a possible legal case against former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter for... →
Eskom warns of Stage 8 loadshedding this winter but insists risk of blackout is low
18th May 2023 Eskom has indicated that Stage 8 loadshedding – representing 16 hours of cuts in a 32-hour cycle – is possible this winter if coal plant breakdowns... →
Gordhan refutes claim that he prompted De Ruyter’s private Eskom investigation
17th May 2023 Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan tore strips off former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter during his appearance before Parliament’s Standing... →
Mantashe outlines procurement schedules, including for nuclear, as he confirms IRP delay
16th May 2023 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has pulled back from his statement that the release of the revised Integrated Resource Plan,... →
Climate commission recommends grid PPPs to speed up just energy transition
15th May 2023 The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is recommending that alternative investment models, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), be... →
Fuel industry does not foresee loadshedding-induced diesel shortages this winter
15th May 2023 The South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) is not anticipating a domestic diesel supply crunch this winter as a result of a spike in... →
Powerships likely to feature in five-year Eskom emergency procurement
12th May 2023 The prospect of South Africa procuring electricity from powerships docked either in South Africa or in a neighbouring country has increased, with... →
Pregnant pause
12th May 2023 It is good news that President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally Gazetted a notice declaring that Section 6 of the National Energy Act, which stipulates... →
