Energy news

• Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2): Following a long delay since the 7 and 8 June 2010 stakeholder sessions conducted at the CSIR, Pretoria, to hear the views on the proposed 29 input parameters, the IRP2010 Project Office distributed an update on 27 July 2010 as follows:

From: IRP2010 [mailto:IRP2010@mweb.co.za]
Sent: 27 July 2010 10:31 PM
To: IRP2010
Subject: IRP2010 : PROGRESS UPDATE

Dear All

It has been a long time coming, but here is an update on the IRP2010 process.

We have received 831 responses to our request for comments on the Draft Input Parameters and it has taken us quite some time to read and collate the comments into updated Input Parameter sheets to the modelling process. The DOE wishes to thank all those organisations and persons that submitted comments and substantiating documents to the first round of public participation.

The modelling process has commenced and the final sheets used for the modelling has been published on the website (www.doe-irp.co.za). Please ensure that you press “refresh” on the site to get the latest update. The DOE have tried to respond to the comments in the last section of each of the sheets as far as possible as well as explaining the rationale behind the final sheets. More information will be published as we go along in the process.

At this point in time, we are looking at a Draft IRP2010 to be available at the end of August, ready for public participation. The month of August will be used for inter-governmental consultation.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further queries.

Kind regards,

Angelique Kilian
PROJECT MANAGER
Tel: +27 12 444 4369
Cell: +27 72 473 9519

This was followed by a message on 29 July 2010 to amend the project timelines as follows:

From: IRP2010 [mailto:IRP2010@mweb.co.za]
Sent: 29 July 2010 11:00 PM
To: IRP2010
Subject: IRP2010 TIMELINES

Dear All
Following requests for time extensions and to process the volume of inputs received from consultation on developing the IRP2010, it has been decided to extend the promulgation date of the IRP2010 from September 2010 to November 2010.

The high level estimated timeline for the project is currently as follows:

1.	Commence Modelling	July 2010
2.	Base Case with Scenario’s	Middle August 2010
3.	Complete 1st Draft IRP 2010	End August 2010
4.	Draft IRP2010 published for public comment	September 2010
5.	Public hearings on Draft IRP 2010	September 2010
6.	Revised 2nd Draft IRP 2010	October 2010
7.	Promulgate IRP 2010	November 2010

I also attach hereto the email that was sent to all on 27 July 2010, which some of you may not have received.

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Angelique Kilian
PROJECT MANAGER

It appears though that a DoE technical task team continues to meet amid increasing realisation of the urgency of the situation as it becomes clear that we are most likely heading for some kind of rationing in the near future. This concern is being exacerbated around possibilities of delays in the commissioning of Medupi and even suggestions of Kusile being put on hold or cancelled. Interested readers may wish to study a presentation dated June 2010 from one of the specialist task teams looking at the `Electricity Emergency Response and Business Continuity Plan’. A copy of this presentation is available here.

The presentation highlights `Significant risks of energy shortfalls in the period 2011 to 2015” and suggests that ‘short-term demand side and supply side solutions (are) required to mitigate risks’ and to fill the energy gap (wedges). Municipal distributors will need to be aware that any conservation or rationing scheme will have an impact on billing systems that will need to be planned in advance for successful implementation. It is interesting to note that despite these potential issues, the DoE and task teams continue to ignore possible municipal participation in the work of these task teams.

• Independent Systems and Market Operator [ISMO]: An Engineering News Online article dated 24 July 2010 quotes an Eskom official as saying that “A fully ring-fenced Independent Systems and Market Operator (ISMO) entity would be established within Eskom's Systems Operations and Planning Division by the end of August”.

Eskom Single Buyer Office representative Adele Greyling is said to have explained that this was the first phase of the establishment of the interim ISMO, and would ring-fence finances and governance, while the second phase would seek to establish a fully independent ISMO (outside Eskom).

Further details can be obtained from the full article, a copy of which is available here.

• Energy Matters newsletter: During June 2010, the Government Communications and Information Service (GCIS) began circulating an ENERGY MATTERS newsletter which claims to be `an overview of current debates in the energy efficiency sector’ and is being produced by government for the benefit of its stakeholders. The first newsletter dealt with the Green Economy Summit in Sandton from 18 to 21 May, at which government made some bold commitments to sustainable development. This was followed by a letter from Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan which is reproduced below:

Introduction of Newsletter and Virtual Network Efficiency
5 July 2010
Dear Stakeholder

As part of our strategy to communicate Government's Energy Efficiency campaign, government will soon launch an electronic newsletter called "Energy Matters." This is the first step of a three-phased approach towards a larger Virtual Network that will later include a website and social media.

The objective of this newsletter is to firstly create a platform from which all stakeholders in Energy Efficiency can engage to support Government's drive to develop an integrated funding and implementation strategy for electricity. Secondly, it will serve to educate, inform and create general awareness on Energy Efficiency and related matters.

This Virtual Network is not only aimed at stakeholders who are specialists in the energy sectors, but also at political influencers; government; other partners and intermediaries in Energy Efficiency as well as consumers. The newsletter, "Energy Matters," will cover current debates on all aspects of the energy sector, aiming to simplify and clarify the complexities for a lay audience. The content will be developed around topics such as:
• Energy efficiency, its value and relevance;
• Saving methods and progress made in energy efficiency;
• Government's efforts towards a sustainable energy future;
• Providing basic electricity to all South Africans;
• Environmental impact of energy generation;
• Electricity distribution restructuring and network adequacy and reliability;
• Country build plan with a 20-year horizon;
• South African economy and global competitiveness;
• Nuclear strategy and implementation; and
• Renewable energy development .

The writing style will be neutral, covering the full range of opinions without advocating any one position.

Going forward, we would therefore like to invite you to utilise the content of this newsletter to your own advantage and use this platform to engage in Energy Efficiency and related matters.

For more information, or should you wish to make a contribution or write an article for the newsletter, please contact Marion R. Banks on Tel: 012- 314 2180; Cell: 082 362 1877 or e-mail marion@gcis.gov.za.
Sincerely,

BARBARA HOGAN, MP
Minister of Public Enterprises
Chairperson of Inter-Ministerial Committee: Energy

Attempts to download a PDF version of a newsletter for the benefit of readers of this e-Bulletin were unsuccessful. The criterion for being included on the newsletter distribution list is not known but it is being sent out by energymatters@bigdevelopments.co.za. Readers interested in receiving the newsletter should either contact this address or Ms Banks. The newsletter frequency appears initially to be two per month.