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.
Worth the ink?
31st May 2024 The National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP’s) recent approval of the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Bill has far-reaching implications for... →
Delayed coal decommissioning won’t ‘collapse our climate commitments’
27th May 2024 The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is currently assessing the impact of South Africa’s decision to delay the decommissioning of the... →
Unintended consequences?
24th May 2024 It is highly unlikely that South Africa would have made the progress it has in stabilising electricity supply and setting in place initiatives to... →
Presidency insists 22.5 GW private IPP pipeline won’t be disrupted by Eskom move to reserve grid for public projects
22nd May 2024 The Presidency does not anticipate that Eskom’s move to reserve scarce grid capacity for independent power producers (IPPs) participating in public... →
Eskom board approves plan to operate Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina to 2030
20th May 2024 The Eskom board has given its approval for the continued operation of the Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina power stations to 2030 – a departure from... →
Green stimulus
17th May 2024 South Africa’s manufacturing sector is in dire need of stimulus. In its recently released ‘Industrial Policy & Strategy Review’, the Department of... →
Eyes turn to Union Buildings after NCOP approves Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill
16th May 2024 The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has approved the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Bill, which has far-reaching implications for the... →
Ramaphosa acknowledges fear over NHI but describes signing as ‘pivotal moment’
15th May 2024 President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the fear that his signing of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law had generated in and address... →
Salga energy head calls for post-election review of free basic electricity scheme
14th May 2024 The head of energy at the South African Local Government Association (Salga) has called for a review of both the size of the free basic electricity... →
Ramaphosa denies pre-election loadshedding respite is a ‘political ploy’
13th May 2024 President Cyril Ramaphosa has entered the politically charged discussion on the reasons behind the recent dramatic reduction in loadshedding ahead... →
Coalitions and reform
10th May 2024 With the 2024 election days away, attention is turning to the governance arrangements that will prevail nationally and in key battleground... →
NamPower grid-strengthening and battery storage project secures $138.5m World Bank backing
7th May 2024 The World Bank has approved a $138.5-million finance package to support the integration of renewable energy into Namibia’s electricity system by... →
Ramokgopa insists loadshedding not being ‘stage managed’ ahead of May 29 poll
6th May 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa denies that the prevailing reprieve from loadshedding has been “stage managed” to improve the prospects... →
Climate commission model points to the growth potential of green industrialisation
6th May 2024 The initial direct cost of placing South Africa on an energy transition pathway over the coming five years in line with its decarbonisation targets... →
In the weeds
3rd May 2024 South Africa has gone some way in starting to reform its electricity industry, which has been failing the country visibly for nearly two decades.... →
City Power seeks funding, manufacturing partners for informal settlement ‘energy box’
30th April 2024 Johannesburg’s City Power is seeking manufacturing and venture capital partners to further develop and pilot a rugged ‘energy box’ concept in one... →
Draft Gas Master Plan released amid supply ‘cliff’ warnings
29th April 2024 South Africa’s much-delayed draft Gas Master Plan (GMP2024) has been released for public comment by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede... →
Reflect and recommit
26th April 2024 Memories are short and it often feels like they are becoming shorter not only because of the flood of information associated with the 24-hour news... →
Can South Africa turn around 30 years of real economy underperformance?
26th April 2024 In this essay, Terence Creamer reflects on the factors that have shaped South Africa’s real-economy sectors of manufacturing, mining and... →
South Africa aims to set up three JET-aligned skills development zones
24th April 2024 Three Just Energy Transition (JET) skills development zones focusing on renewables and grids, electric vehicles and green hydrogen value chains are... →
Ramokgopa describes IPP surpluses as low-hanging fruit amid delay in finding contractual solution
22nd April 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa describes surplus electricity arising from existing renewable energy facilities as “low hanging fruit”... →
NTCSA begins consultations on market code to govern shift towards competitive electricity industry
19th April 2024 With the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) currently scheduled to be operationalised in July and efforts under way to ensure that... →
Mixed outlook
19th April 2024 The recent period of decreased loadshedding has been met with tremendous scepticism by a South African public who have been burnt more times over... →
Private renewables procurement may mitigate boom-bust cycles curbing South Africa’s green industrialisation
18th April 2024 The combination of public and private procurement of large-scale renewables in South Africa signals increased stability for manufacturers of key... →
Eskom says modest R9m RCA request not a signal of alignment with Nersa on calculations
17th April 2024 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has initiated consultations on Eskom’s latest Regulatory Clearing Account (RCA) application... →
Stage 16 loadshedding code seeks to reduce human error not signal imminent surge in cuts – Nersa
16th April 2024 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has belatedly moved to quell concern that its recent approval of a new loadshedding code of... →
South Africa’s ranking in World Energy Trilemma Index falls
16th April 2024 South Africa has fallen to sixty-ninth from sixty-fourth on the World Energy Council’s (WEC’s) latest World Energy Trilemma Index which ranks more... →
Attitudinal shift
12th April 2024 It is estimated that about 2.5 GW of rooftop solar was installed across South Africa last year; a trend that was expected to continue at the start... →
Ramokgopa says ‘degree of convergence’ reached with NTCSA on unlocking private participation in grid
9th April 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that a “degree of convergence” has been reached between his Ministry and the National... →
Eskom aims to keep breakdowns below 14 GW this winter as it cuts diesel budget
9th April 2024 State-owned electricity utility Eskom will reduce planned maintenance to 3 000 MW during the upcoming winter season and will seek to keep unplanned... →
Out of step
5th April 2024 Following wholly inadequate public consultations, stakeholders have submitted their written comments on the Department of Mineral Resources and... →
BLSA calls for immediate reworking of IRP, describing assumptions as ‘spurious’
2nd April 2024 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), whose members include the largest domestic and foreign companies operating in South Africa, has added its... →
Important milestone
29th March 2024 The passing of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) by the National Assembly earlier this month represents a significant milestone in the ongoing... →
Release of Gas Master Plan approved at Cabinet’s last official meeting ahead of May poll
28th March 2024 Cabinet approved the publication of the long-awaited Gas Master Plan for public comment during what was the last formal meeting of the executive... →
Eskom board considers enlarging and extending Standard Offer Programme
25th March 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that the Eskom board is considering lifting the current 1 000 MW allocation set aside for its... →
NTCSA unbundling secures lender consent, Ramokgopa confirms
25th March 2024 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that Eskom’s eight “lender groups” have given their consent to the establishment of the National... →
Independent power producer body rejects an IRP that ‘plans to fail’
20th March 2024 The South African Independent Power Producer Association (SAIPPA) has added its voice to a growing chorus of opposition to the draft Integrated... →
SAWEA wants IRP overhaul as it questions massively diminished role for wind in current draft
18th March 2024 The South African Wind Energy Association’s (SAWEA’s) formal response to the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023) questions both the... →
Not so quiet revolution
15th March 2024 For several years, the roll-out of rooftop solar, batteries and inverters has been referred to as South Africa’s quite revolution. While Eskom... →
IPPO confirms May 30 renewables bid deadline as it moves to accommodate grid quotes and curtailment
13th March 2024 The Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO) has confirmed that the deadline for submissions under Bid Window Seven (BW7) of the Renewable Energy... →
