Latest news with #powergrid
News24
2 days ago
- Business
- News24
Ramokgopa announces preferred bidders for third battery energy storage
616MW of battery storage will be added across five sites in the Free State, with operation expected by 2028. The projects will store excess solar energy generated for use during the peak demand periods. Four of the five winning bids went to SA company Mulilo, reflecting increased local capacity and competitiveness. South Africa's push to stabilise its power grid through battery energy storage systems has advanced with the announcement of preferred bidders for the third bid window of the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Procurement Programme. Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced this during a press briefing on Friday, confirming that 616MW of new battery storage capacity would be added to the national grid. This allocation is the final portion of government's 1 744MW target, as laid out in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The latest bid window will see an investment of R9.5 billion, with project completion expected in January 2028. Battery storage to support solar during peak demand Ramokgopa explained that battery energy storage plays a critical role in improving grid flexibility by capturing excess electricity generated during the day, mostly from solar photovoltaic (PV) sources and discharging it during peak periods in the morning and evening. This approach aims to reduce reliance on costly diesel-powered open-cycle gas turbines during peak hours. 'During the day, our solar PV plants generate more electricity than we need.' Instead of wasting that surplus, these batteries will allow us to store it and release it later in the evening, when demand is at its highest. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa Currently, peak electricity demand occurs between 6am and 8.30am and again between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, with the evening peak particularly severe. The battery systems are designed to provide four hours of storage capacity, enough to cover both peak periods daily, adding up to 730 charge-discharge cycles annually. Five projects located in the Free State The 616MW capacity will be installed across five sites in the Free State, identified by the National Transmission Company of SA as strategically suitable for new grid support infrastructure. Each site has one preferred bidder assigned: Scatec was appointed for the Leander Substation site. Mulilo Energy was selected for the remaining four sites, including Everest, Harvard and Merapi. Ramokgopa noted the increasing competitiveness of domestic developers: 'We're seeing more South African companies winning bids in these programmes. Four out of five of the projects in this round have gone to a local developer, which is encouraging for the sector.' The minister also noted the geographic spread of the three bid windows to date: the first was concentrated in the Northern Cape and parts of North West; the second was mainly in North West and the third was focused on the Free State. Procurement process and technical considerations The third bid window was launched in March last year, following an open and competitive process. According to Ramokgopa, the process considered several technical criteria beyond pricing, including: Round-trip efficiency: The ability of batteries to return the same amount of electricity that was used to charge them. Rapid voltage change factor: A metric based on the battery's proximity to substations, affecting technical losses and bid scores. Government intends to improve fairness in future bid windows by pre-procuring land near substations to prevent distance-related disadvantages for bidders. The power purchase agreements signed with the preferred bidders will span 15 years, which aligns with global industry norms for battery storage contracts. Commercial close was targeted for January next year, with full commercial operation scheduled by January 2028. However, the minister encouraged developers to accelerate this timeline where possible. Programme outlook and future plans The 616MW announced on Wednesday concluded the initial 1 744MW target for battery energy storage outlined in the current IRP. This included: 513MW from bid window 1 615MW from bid window 2 616MW from bid window 3 The updated IRP, which will outline new targets and procurement rounds, is currently under review by the National Economic Development and Labour Council. SA is considered a continental leader in deploying battery energy storage and government aims to maintain this position as part of its broader transition to cleaner energy. However, Ramokgopa emphasised that coal remained the backbone of the country's energy generation capacity and plans involved a mix of energy sources rather than outright replacement. 'We are not pitting one energy source against another.'
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China grid wears powerful ‘diamond ring' to prevent massive blackout
China 's power grid now wields a futuristic safeguard against catastrophic collapses – a quantum-powered , all-seeing 'diamond ring' capable of detecting grid instability in real time with unprecedented precision. The urgency was underscored in April, when sweeping outages paralysed Spain, Portugal and France after grid oscillations severed Spain from Europe's interconnected network. Similar chaos also struck China's Xinjiang region last year, when solar and wind fluctuations destabilised local grids. Such incidents highlight a critical challenge – as renewables dominate energy transitions, their weather-dependent unpredictability strains traditional monitoring systems. Designed by a team from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in collaboration with the State Grid Corporation, China's 'diamond ring' – a toroidal or ring-shaped device embedding nitrogen-vacancy quantum sensors – acts as a high-precision sentinel for power lines.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Oman-Yemen power grid interconnection under study
MUSCAT: Well-known international energy sector engineering services consultancy firm Monenco has announced that it has secured a contract from Omani authorities to study the feasibility of interconnecting the power grids of Oman and Yemen. The client is Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC), the majority state-owner and operator of the Sultanate's national grid. OETC – part of Nama Group – also manages interconnectivity with the grids of neighbouring countries via the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA), a joint initiative by member states of the GCC to support electricity exchanges. 'We're proud to announce that Monenco Oman has been awarded the highly strategic Oman–Yemen Power Grid Interconnection Project by Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) under Tender No. 15/2025,' Monenco noted in a recent post. 'Monenco will be responsible for delivering the feasibility study, engineering services, and full supervision during implementation up to successful energization. This project is a major step toward enhancing energy security and fostering regional power connectivity across the Arabian Peninsula and the wider GCC region,' the company further added. The initiative aligns with an ongoing bid by Oman to explore grid interconnectivity with all of its neighbours with which it shares a land border, as well as with Iran across the Strait of Hormuz. On Tuesday, the Sultanate signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran to review a feasibility study of a grid interconnection project between the two countries. The MoU was among 18 cooperation pacts inked by the two countries during the official visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Muscat. Signing on behalf of Oman was Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, while Iran was represented by Seyed Mohammad Atabak, Minister of Industry, Mining, and Trade. Meanwhile, linkages between Oman and the GCCIA network continue to expand and strengthen. According to OETC, a new 400kV direct transmission line between Oman and the GCCIA network is currently in the design stage. 'This new line will establish a vital link between the OETC Ibri IPP and the Silaa grid stations (in the UAE), with the project scheduled for completion in Q1 2027. The interconnection will enhance the reliability and resilience of the transmission system by increasing the total transfer capacity between Oman and the GCCIA networks to 1,700MW, strengthening regional grid integration, supporting the energy transition and improving energy security,' OETC affirmed in its recently published Transmission Capability Statement. As part of the new direct link GCCIA will build and own a new 400kV grid station at Ibri, not far from the existing Ibri IPP grid station. This new Ibri GCCIA 400kV grid station will be connected to the Silaa 400kV grid station owned by GCCIA with total overhead-line length of about 528 km (88.2 km from Ibri GCCIA 400kV to the border and 470 km from the border to Silaa and introducing a middle point station at UAE). Importantly, the new direct link builds on an existing interconnection between Oman and the GCCIA network, which has been operational since November 2011. It connects Mahadha grid station at Al Wasit in Oman with the Al Oha grid station at Al Ain in the UAE. In 2024, Oman exported 775,637.38 megawatt-hours (MWh) and imported 63,948.41 MWh through the existing GCCIA interconnection, 'reflecting a robust interconnection and mutual support within the region's energy sector,' OETC remarked. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The installed capacity of new energy in Turfan has surpassed 9 million kilowatts, accounting for 74.2% of the total installed capacity of power sources
TURFAN, China, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 29th, State Grid Turfan Power Supply Company announced that the installed capacity of new energy in Turfan reached 9.035 million kilowatts, representing 74.2% of the total installed capacity of power sources. Known as the "Hot Pole of China," Turfan is strategically located in the central area of one of Xinjiang's nine major wind regions. It boasts abundant wind and solar resources and plays a crucial role in the country's "Three Bases and One Channel" strategy. Since the beginning of this year, Turfan has planned to add 10.96 million kilowatts of new energy grid-connected installed capacity. To date, 3.505 million kilowatts have been successfully connected to the grid, achieving a progress rate of 31.9%. To support the development of the new energy industry, since 2024, State Grid Turfan Power Supply Company has adhered to the principle of "letting electricity wait for development rather than letting development wait for electricity." The company has invested a total of 231 million yuan to efficiently complete seven key projects, including the Xiaocao Lake West Booster Centralized Station. The total length of newly constructed transmission lines has reached 134.6 kilometers, further strengthening the power grid framework and enhancing the transmission capacity of new energy. In response to the increasing demand for new energy grid connection, State Grid Turfan Power Supply Company has continuously innovated its service measures for new energy grid connection and implemented a "1 station, 3 stages" full-process control mechanism. This includes providing "one-stop service" and accelerating business processing during the three critical phases of new energy grid connection: preliminary work, engineering construction, and acceptance and grid connection. Effective measures are proposed at each stage, from planning and construction to grid connection and operation, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the power grid while fully supporting the rapid development of new energy. View original content: SOURCE State Grid Turfan Power Supply Company
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Spain denies power grid 'experiment' caused giant blackout
MADRID: Spain's government on Wednesday (May 28) denied a press report that an "experiment" on the national power grid caused a huge blackout that crippled the Iberian Peninsula one month ago. Authorities have been scrambling to find answers after the Apr 28 outage cut telecommunications, halted transport and plunged cities into darkness across Spain and Portugal. Conservative British daily newspaper The Telegraph reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources in Brussels, that Spanish authorities "were conducting an experiment before the system crashed, probing how far they could push reliance on renewables in preparation for Spain's rushed phase-out of nuclear reactors from 2027". "The government seems to have pushed the pace recklessly, before making the necessary investments in a sophisticated 21st-century smart grid capable of handling it," it added. Asked about the report in parliament, Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen said: "It is false, totally false, that the government carried out any sort of experiment on the grid prior to the outage." "It is irresponsible to assign blame while the cause of the blackout remains under investigation. And it is equally irresponsible to claim that the government was conducting experiments," she added. The head of Spain's electricity operator REE, Beatriz Corredor, also called the report "completely false" in an interview with Spanish daily newspaper La Vanguardia published on Wednesday. "There was no excess of renewable energy" on Apr 28, nor short circuits, overloads or cyberattacks on the grid, she said, dismissing several widely circulated theories. Instead she said it appears that producers of "conventional" energy such as gas, nuclear and hydro plants "failed to properly regulate voltage" on the day of the outage.
