Eskom Strategic Grid Planning Meeting, 27 May 2011

Discussions with Eskom on future PV Generation Scenarios for the 2040 Strategic Transmission Grid Study took place on Friday, 27 May 2011.

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Purpose of the meeting:

Eskom wanted to discuss the views of SAPVIA on where the PV generation could/should develop on a spatial basis across the country, and what potential total MW could be generated in the different areas. The outcomes of the discussion would then be included in the development of the generation scenarios to be included in the strategic studies for the Transmission Grid by the year 2040. The two main scenarios of interest to SAPVIA being the Base IRP scenario, and the “Going Green” scenario where even more renewable energy is installed in place of other conventional generation specified in the IRP.

Outcomes of the meetings:

Dom Wills, one of the SAPVIA representatives who attended the meeting provided the following feedback:

“The Eskom transmission planning department follows an iteractive transmission planning process that repeats on a 3 year cycle.  During this process, they assess the future needs of the country’s grid, both in terms of the load and generation.  Previously this was mostly an internal process, but with the recent advent and future role that IPPs will play, Eskom is expanding the input process and is now soliciting input from the public.

As part of the aforementioned process, Eskom has approached SAPVIA for input to their Transmission Development Plan (TDP).  The input would consist of a solar resource map and insight into where PV developers would focus their attention if the grid access and power evacuation limitation were lifted.  In addition, SAPVIA is also asked to provide latest publicly available information on where the prospective solar PV sites are located within South Africa.  This information has been requested to be provided by Friday 10 June so that they can compile and digest the information before an internal deadline of 30 June.

This is a great initiative from ESKOM and a great opportunity for the PV development community to influence the location of transmission equipment for short, medium and long term horizons.  The future of convenient grid access for PV projects will be hugely aided with a good collaboration in this process, and we are really pleased that ESKOM has moved to involve SAPVIA.”

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