Electricity and Control October 2020

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

NERSA approves procurement of new generation capacity

Advancing grid management solutions Emerson has announced its agreement to acquire Open Systems International Inc. (OSI Inc.), a leading provider of operations technology software that supports real- time management and optimisation across the smart grid. The acquisition is expected to close in early fiscal 2021, subject to various regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The acquisition broadens and complements Emerson’s robust software portfolio and its ability to help customers in the global power industry, as well as other end markets, to transform and digitalise operations in order to incorporate renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency and reliability. Digitalisation is critical for the power industry to modernise and improve the reliability of the electricity grid. Incorporating clean and renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, requires balancing the variable nature of renewable energy with the often bi-directional demands of the grid. By combining Emerson’s domain expertise and leading technology in power generation with OSI Inc.’s complementary software and reach within the power transmission and distribution sectors, the acquisition will equip customers with the end-to- end ability to monitor, control and optimise real-time operations across the power enterprise through scalable, software-enabled automation and data management. “An enormous change is under way as utilities Eskom has noted that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has concurred with the ministerial determination for the procurement of 11 813 MW of electricity generation infrastructure, as issued by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy in February 2020. This is part of the power infrastructure to be procured under the Integrated Resources Plan of 2019 (IRP2019) over the years to 2030. “Given the current supply constraints, this additional generation capacity is urgently required, and will be an important contribution towards ending load shedding and ensuring energy security for the country,” says Eskom CEO André de Ruyter. Eskom is looking forward to collaborating with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and the IPP Office to enable an accelerated execution to bring additional capacity onto the grid in the shortest space of time possible. Eskom is also pleased to note progress with the pro- curement of the 2 000 MW emergency power, which it hopes will start being connected to the national grid by December 2021. While the 2 000 MW emergency pro- curement is a step in the right direction, the national utility emphasises the immediate and urgent need to acceler- ate the procurement of at least 3 000 MW of further gen-

globally are investing to digitalise the grid and adapt to rapidly evolving energy sources and new technologies that increase consumer choices,” said Lal Karsanbhai, Executive President of Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “This acquisition will help the power industry maximise the opportunity to harness renewable energy sources and to accelerate the transformation to the smart power grid. Emerson now has the opportunity to be a leader in this fast-growing market with a complete software and technology offering.” OSI Inc.’s advanced modular technology offers customers tailored solutions to meet their needs in power gridmanagement and is scalable toother industries. Combining this technology with Emerson’s Ovation control system, a market leader for power generation control, will provide utility customers with increased visibility into the current status of their power systems and enable them to optimise energy efficiency from generation to customer delivery – and contribute to the broader industry goal of minimising the carbon footprint. Emerson’s software and automation technologies are widely used in essential industries. For more information contact Emerson Automation Solutions. Email: emrsouthafrica@emerson.com Visit: www.emerson.com eration capacity to help ease the supply constraints the country is currently going through. As Eskom has stated previously, enabling the emer- gency procurement of 5 000 MW additional generation capacity is critical to keep the lights on and help power the rebuilding of an economy decimated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bringing in additional generation capacity will also help take the pressure off Eskom and create space for the maintenance of its ageing power stations while powering a growing economy. For more information visit: www.eskom.co.za

Lal Karsanbhai, Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions.

Electricity + Control OCTOBER 2020

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