南非：区域合作弥补电力缺口

作为非洲第一电力大国，南非电力工业发达，发电量占全非洲的2/3。为满足长期工业和城市化的目标，南非目前电力需求量如何？将有哪些电力开发计划？在跨国电网建设方面会发布哪些政策？针对这些问题，《中国投资》记者采访了南非驻华使馆公使衔参赞查理斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel）先生。

《中国投资》：请您介绍南非电力目前供应情况。

查尔斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel)：南非的供电主要由南非国有电力公司埃斯科姆（Eskom）负责提供，现在它生产的电力占到全国总用电量的96.7%。南非电力公司目前核定的装机容量为44175兆瓦。到2030年，南非需要超过45600兆瓦的新发电能力。南非电力公司是南部非洲电力联盟（SAPP）的成员，电力联盟由一些公用事业实体和机构组成，旨在为该地区的电力创造一个共同市场。南非电力公司还负责南非的电力传输，它拥有超过28000公里的输电线路，遍布全国。市政消费占其电力销售的40%，用户消费占其销售的另60%。根据其输电发展计划，南非电力公司计划在2015年到2024年间在输电基础设施上投入120亿美元。这些投资中的约89%将用于产能扩张，其余部分将分别用于设备翻新、补充零备件、添置生产设备、土地和专利以及战略策划。届时将有13396公里的新输电线投入使用，其中2019年先完成5235公里，2020年到2024年再完成其余8161公里。对输电基础设施的投资和设法把远离主要负荷中心的地区都连接起来是国家战略的一部分，旨在发展区域电力走廊，从而将发电网络更有效地扩展到全国各地。

配电是向终端用户供电的最后阶段，目前它由南非电力公司与各地方当局共同负责。配电部门由187个持有牌照的分销商组成，它们几乎都是地方市政当局。这些市政当局为52%的客户提供配电服务；南非电力公司则直接服务于其余48%的客户。在电力分配中，制造业消耗的电力约占40%；采矿业和家庭用电各占18%；农业和运输业使用了其余的电力资源。
目前，南非电力销售占市政府收入的25%以上，在最大的城市地区则可达到34%。

《中国投资》：南非满足长期工业化和城市化目标下，电力的需求缺口有多大？

查尔斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel)：到2030年，南非还需新增超过45600兆瓦的发电容量，南非电力公司目前核定的装机容量为44175兆瓦。

《中国投资》：那么，南非电力开发的计划是怎样的？

查尔斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel)：南非能源部制定的目标是在2025年前，要对能源结构进行调整，其中清洁能源的占比应达到30%。为了实现这一目标，就需要采取以下战略：制定有效的立法、政策和指导方针，鼓励对能源部门的投资；强化能源组合的多样性，改造输电线路的接入和连通性能，提供优质并且负担得起的能源，强调能源的安全使用和对能源部门实施改革；鼓励经济发展，在能源领域创造更多的就业机会；以及提倡发展和使用可再生能源。通过2011年以来的四轮招标，能源部兴建一批综合发电能力超过6000兆瓦的独立发电厂。

《中国投资》：南非从外部购买电力的需求如何？对从周边国家项目购电有哪些政策和计划？

查尔斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel)：南非的能源外交政策与国家对非洲大陆的整体外交政策相一致，其方针就是互惠互利、共同发展。因此，南非国家电力公司参与了南部非洲电力联盟（SAPP）组织的基础设施互联互通的修建；积极促进贸易发展（即在南部非洲电力联盟中开展能源进出口业务）；与加纳国家石油公司、大英加水电站项目、莱索托水电站项目、博茨瓦纳国家石油公司等展开合作。南非与非洲大陆许多国家都签署了能源合作协议和谅解备忘录。

《中国投资》：在跨国电网建设方面，南非的计划和政策是怎样的？

查尔斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel)：南非的核心目标之一就是实现区域一体化和促进区域价值链的发展。南非是南部非洲电力联盟的成员国，该联盟有许多区域输电项目。南非正在与该区域其他国家的同行合作，以确保该地区的能源安全。

《中国投资》：您如何理解整个非洲的电网联通？

查尔斯·曼纽尔（Mr.Charles Manuel)：全球目前仍有13多亿人没有用上电，他们中95%以上的人生活在撒哈拉以南非洲地区和亚洲发展中国家，84%的人居住在农村。整体而言，非洲大陆的电网连通设施非常薄弱，这严重阻碍了经济的发展。非洲农村地区的电网服务尤其不足。如果我们不迅速做出优先考虑电网连通性的决定，非洲就很可能在第四次工业革命过程中被远远地甩在后面。

⬆南非电力公司Eskom运营的罗斯福公园变电站（CFP）

英文版

 South Africa: Filling Power Shortfall with Regional Cooperation

——Interview with Mr.Charles Manuel Minister Counsellor Economic of South African Embassy to China

By Zhang Mei  China Investment

As the largest power country in Africa, South Africa’s electricity power industry is well developed, accounting for 2/3 of the total power generation in Africa. To meet long-term industrial and urbanization goals, what is its current electricity demand?  What power development plans do they have? And what policies will be issued for the construction of transnational power grids? With these questions in mind, the journalists from China Investment made an exclusive interview with Mr. Charles Manuel, the Minister Counselor of South African Embassy in China.

China Investment:How’s South African’s electricity supply system in the present?  

Mr.Charles Manuel: Electricity generation dominated by state-owned power company Eskom, which currently produces over 96.7% of the power used in the country. Eskom has a current nominal installed capacity of 44,175MW. South Africa needs over 45,600 MW new generation capacity by 2030. Eskom is part of Southern African Power Pool, a group of utilities in the region aiming to create a common market for electricity in the region.

Currently, the transmission of electricity in South Africa is undertaken by Eskom. The company has over 28,000km of transmission lines  spanning the entire country. Municipalities account for 40% of the total electricity sales and 60% of the customer base.

Eskom has planned $12bn of spending on transmission infrastructure from 2015 to 2024, according to the utility’s transmission development plan. Around 89% of this will be allocated to capacity expansion, with the rest divided between refurbishment, capital spares, production equipment, lands and rights, and strategy. A total of 13,396 km of transmission lines will come on-stream in that time, with 5235 km by 2019 and 8161 km from 2020 to 2024. Investment in transmission infrastructure, as well as providing connectivity in areas far away from major load centres, forms part of a strategy to support regional power corridors, connecting generation pools to one another more efficiently.

Electricity distribution is the final stage in the delivery of electricity to end users, currently undertaken by Eskom, together with local municipalities.

The electricity distribution sector comprises 187 licensed distributors, almost all of whom are local municipalities. These municipalities serve 52% of customers, with Eskom distribution directly serving the remaining 48%. The manufacturing sector consumes around 40% of the electricity distributed, with mining and domestic usage following thereafter at 18% each. The bulk of the remainder is accounted for by the power requirements of the agricultural and transport sectors.

At present, electricity sales make up over 25% of municipality revenue and can reach up to 34% in the largest urban areas.

China Investment:What is the gap in demand for electricity under the goal of long-term industrialization and urbanization in South Africa?

Mr.Charles Manuel:South Africa needs over 45,600 MW new generation capacity by 2030. Eskom has a current nominal installed capacity of 44,175MW

China Investment:What is the plan for power development?

Mr.Charles Manuel:The Department of Energy’s vision by 2025 is to improve the energy mix by having 30% of clean energy. This will be achieved through the following strategic objectives:

develop effective legislation, policies and guidelines, encourage investment in the energy sector; diversify energy mix, improve access and connectivity, provision of quality and affordable energy, promote safe use of energy and transform the energy sector; encourage economic development, promote job creation in the energy sector; and facilitate the implementation of Renewable Energy, The plan is to develop IPPs which will produce more than 6000 MW overall as a result of four bid rounds since 2011.

China Investment:What is the demand for purchasing electricity from outside? What are the policies and plans for buying electricity from the Inga project?

Mr.Charles Manuel:South Africa’s energy diplomacy towards the region is informed by the country’s foreign policy towards the continent. The country’s approach is developmental and mutually beneficial in its approach, Eskom’s rehabilitation of interconnectivity infrastructure  at the Southern African Power Pool(SAPP) it promotes trade (sell and import power from the SAPP), PetroSA Ghana, Grand Inga Hydropower Project, Lesotho Hydro project, PetroSA activities in Botswana, etc. South Africa has a number of agreements and MOU’s with various countries on the continent.  

China Investment:What are the plans and policies of South Africa in the construction of transnational power grids?

Mr.Charles Manuel:One of South Africa’s core objectives is regional integration and the development of regional value chains. South Africa is part of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the SAPP has a number of regional transmission projects. South Africa is working with her counterparts in the region to ensure energy security for the region. 

China Investment:What is your opinion on the grid connection across Africa?

Mr.Charles Manuel:Globally over 1.3 billion people are without access to electricity, more than 95% of these people are either in sub-Saharan African or developing Asia and 84% are in rural areas. Generally speaking the grid connection across the continent is very weak and this is hampering economic development. The rural areas in Africa are particularly under served. Africa is at risk of being left behind in the fourth Industrial revolution if we do not prioritize grid connectivity.