Richards Bay to ease load shedding

Published Dec 18, 2014

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Musa Ndlangamandla

THE RICHARDS Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) had invested significantly in renewable energy partly to limit the impact of load shedding on industries under its wing, chief executive Phumelele Motsoahae said last week .

Motsoahae conceded that while the challenge of load shedding could create some difficulties in punting South Africa as an attractive investment destination, he was encouraged that steps were being taken to remedy the situation.

Motsoahae said he hoped the remedial actions that had been put in place by Eskom and all stakeholders would continue to mitigate the impact of the challenges in power supply.

“As the RBIDZ we have given effect to the energy generation drive by way of attracting tenancy in the renewable energy space. More pertinently, one of the key locators in the RBIDZ is a biomass producing facility with a potential energy yield of 65 megawatts. This, therefore, gives us confidence of security of energy supply to the RBIDZ investors as well as excess capacity to be fed to the national power grid.”

In a phased approach, RBIDZ has started with an initial installation of award-winning solar energised street lights which would lead to the next phase where it would introduce renewable energy operations.

In light of the energy intensive operations of the RBIDZ, the entity wants to ensure that it has the capacity to ameliorate the effects of power shortages by investing in alternative and renewable means of energy.

Last year the RBIDZ signed agreements with three investors with a value of R4.56 billion planning to locate their factories in the zone.

These are Nyanza Light Metals to manufacture titanium dioxide pigment; Oasis Group to manufacture oil lubricants; and Phaka-Sangle, which will be manufacturing solar water geysers.

The RBIDZ is managing an investment pipeline in excess of R12bn, comprising pulp and paper, chemicals manufacturing, metals processing and renewable energy.

Motsoahae indicated of more than 600 construction jobs would be created during the first half of the current financial year.

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