Transmission and Distribution News

Upwards of 10 million South Africans holidayed domestically during the 2023/2024 festive season, while 620,600 ventured abroad. With recent economic boosts like lower inflation, interest rate cuts, and cheaper fuel, even more South Africans are set to spend their time away this holiday. “But before they set off, they should ensure their property is protected from unexpected power cuts which can occur due to factors such as load reduction, severe weather conditions, and increased...

The withdrawal of funding from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) is a setback for South Africa’s move to a low-carbon economy. This initiative was designed to mobilize public and private investment to help developing nations transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources and accelerate the decarbonization of key sectors. However, the funding cut threatens to delay critical programs already hampered by slow financial inflows and resistance from the Department of Mineral...

Siemens Smart Infrastructure, Cadolto Datacenter GmbH (Munich, Germany), and Legrand Data Center Solutions (Baiersdorf, Germany) are jointly unveiling a next-generation modular edge data center – a turnkey solution engineered for speed, scalability, and sustainability. The innovative system will debut at Data Center World Frankfurt 2025, taking place on June 4–5, 2025. New modular solution As demand for reliable, high-performance computing accelerates–driven by AI, edge proc...

By 2026, 573.7 million households worldwide will have smart home devices, 19 million of which will be South African. To help make more South African homes smarter, sooner, CBI-electric: low voltage has recently launched its IoT (internet-of-things) home automation range, called the Astute Range. New Astute Range Established in 1949 in South Africa, CBI-electric: low voltage is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of quality low voltage electrical distribution, protection, and control equipme...

Comau is presenting its latest advancements in battery cell formation and manufacturing at The Battery Show Europe 2025. Taking place June 3–5 in Stuttgart, Germany, the event offers a strategic platform for Comau to showcase how it is pioneering next-generation scalable technologies that adapt to the rapidly evolving demands of battery manufacturing, e-Mobility, and energy transition landscapes. This includes the company’s innovative battery cell formation system, which is specifi...

Global energy investment is set to increase in 2025 to a record $3.3 trillion despite headwinds from elevated geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, a new IEA report says, with clean energy technologies attracting twice as much capital as fossil fuels. Investment in clean technologies – renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency and electrification – is on course to hit a record $2.2 trillion this year, reflecting not only efforts to reduce emissio...

Solar power is an exciting and inexpensive alternative to power the home or business. These days, it’s tough to disregard all of the advantages of solar energy if they’re looking to install solar panels and ditch traditional sources of energy. If they aren’t utilizing solar power yet, here are some clear cut advantages that might convince they to pull the trigger and start getting that home energy from the sun! 1. It still works on cloudy days When determining the effectiven...

Wieland Electric is proud to announce that its samos® PRO MOTION Controller has been selected as the Gold winner in the Control Systems category of the Plant Engineering 2025 Product of the Year awards program. This award highlights the samos® PRO MOTION Controller’s innovation, performance, and contribution to advancing industrial automation and safety. Designed for high-performance motion control and functional safety, the samos® PRO MOTION delivers powerful real-time capab...

Syzygy Plasmonics, the global pioneer in electrified biogas-to-SAF technology announces the initiation of Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) with Kent for NovaSAF 1, the world's first electrified biogas-to-SAF facility. The site will serve as a model for scalable, low-cost sustainable aviation fuel production. This company milestone advances Syzygy's mission to seize the significant global opportunity to profitably convert biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using clean electricit...

Comau has agreed to collaborate with multiple industry-pioneering companies, at an international level, addressing the need for affordable automation to drive advanced on-demand manufacturing applications. The collaborations are aimed at numerous sectors, from automotive, naval and aerospace to energy, microfactories, mold & tooling, construction and beyond. Overall production efficiency Comau now delivers truly on-demand, just-in-time production when and where it is needed By accelerati...

NOARK Electric has added busbar adapter solutions for the Molded Case Circuit Breakers to their portfolio of offerings. These Busbar adapters provide a faster and easier installation of NOARK products for clients that are looking to leverage MCCB technologies in their power system designs. These new Busbar adapters for 60mm system are being supplied through Woehner, a global partner for energy distribution, control technology and renewable energies. Product Description Currently, NOARK is off...

As the twenty-first century progresses with strides in energy transition and shifts toward renewable energy, the demand for larger throughput systems has equally increased. More manufacturers in the renewable energy space are scaling capacities on intermediate devices to increase output. As they see increasing voltage levels on the photovoltaic panel, combiner boxes, battery storage and inverters, there is equally a need to have circuit protection devices or disconnect switches built...

NOARK Electric is proud to offer 1, 2, and 3-pole Series – M molded case circuit breakers. These MCCBs are designed for maximum performance and reliability. The compact case design of these breakers gives them a smaller footprint making them perfectly suited for use inside panels. The frame sizes are available as 1, 2, and 3 pole with operational voltage ratings from 240-690 Vac and 250-500 Vdc.  Like many NOARK Electric products, these MCCBs are backed by NOARK’s exclusive fiv...

Power outage from national grid maintenance or natural causes is inevitable. From time to time, one can expect their power to go off. Even though this is a common thing to happen, it can be disappointing for most residential homeowners if it impedes the accomplishment of urgent tasks. For this reason, every home with a solar installation should have a Tesla Powerwall Battery. This battery stores solar energy to power essential electrical equipment when power from the national grid goes off or w...

Sitting on Canada’s fourth longest river, The Nelson, is the 695-megawatt Keeyask Hydroelectric Generating Station. This site utilizes the water flowing in The Nelson that runs approximately 400 miles from Lake Winnipeg to the Hudson Bay. This river drains one of the largest watersheds in North America making it a great location for hydropower facility. The Keeyask Hydroelectric Generating Station The Keeyask Hydroelectric Generating Station is a partnership between Manitoba Hydro...

Following reports of uncertified electrical products being sold on international online marketplaces, concerns are mounting over the potential risks these items pose to South African consumers. “When it comes to electrical products, the difference between safety and disaster often hinges on a simple certification label. Understanding its importance can be a matter of life and death,” warns Khensani Ndobe, International Export Sales Executive at CBI-electric: low voltage. Stringent...

South Africa's water crisis is intensifying as failing infrastructure, droughts, and shrinking reservoir levels strain municipalities. Gauteng is already facing level one restrictions, while eThekwini’s water curtailments will continue until September. With demand set to outstrip supply by 17% in five years, urgent solutions are needed. Dr. Andrew Dickson, Engineering Executive at CBi-electric: low voltage, urges national and local governments to adopt smart...

Comau has designed and developed cutting-edge automation technology for Li Auto’s next-generation range extender line, allowing the Chinese EV pioneer to reach an annual production capacity of up to 400,000 units. The full-value-chain solution, which includes concept design, system simulation, assembly, and commissioning, highlights Comau’s ability to support the dynamic demands of the fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) market with innovative, high-performance manufacturing systems...

As ASEAN intensifies efforts towards regional power integration and harnessing Southeast Asia’s renewable energy potential, Singapore and the International Energy Agency (IEA) jointly organized the Singapore-IEA Regional Training Programme on Connecting ASEAN: Technical, Regulatory and Financial Pathways for Cross-Border Power Trade. This training program equipped regional stakeholders with knowledge and tools to advance multilateral power trade and develop a more interconnected and resil...

Decarbonization, Zero Waste, and Net Zero carbon emissions: they’re increasingly common goals for organizations, building owners, and facility managers. The first step toward achieving these goals, of course, is to measure building emissions to create a baseline. This measurement allows building owners and operators to assess the effectiveness of their sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives and demonstrate progress toward climate commitments. Building Energy Performance Standa...

Designed for even greater flexibility and a wide range of applications: The new 1218 SXR and 1228 SXR DC motors. These models expand FAULHABER’s proven DC motor portfolio and set new standards in performance and versatility for miniature drive systems. Needs of modern drive solutions The new SXR motors offer standard higher performance and a broader range of configuration options to meet the demands of modern drive solutions. They provide flexible voltage variants from 3V to 18V, as wel...

Schneider Electric, the pioneer in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, launched its first Impact Building in Dubai as part of its new Impact Buildings Program. As the world’s most sustainable company, Schneider Electric’s Impact Buildings Program aims to drive sustainability through its own global commercial real estate using best-in-class EcoStruxure™ solutions, software, and services. These include EcoStruxure Building Operation, EcoStruxure Powe...

IEC60601-1 Edition 3.2 is the internationally recognized safety standard for medical electrical/electronic equipment. It covers the basic safety and essential performance requirements, in order to protect both operators and patients. It includes strict guidance for critical parameters, such as isolation voltages, creepage and clearance distances and leakage currents. Compliance with the standard is vital to prevent risk of electric shocks which could cause serious injury or even prove fata...

Altech Corporation, a pioneer in industrial automation solutions, announces the launch of its 200A and 400A UL 98 Disconnect Switches, setting new standards for sustainability, safety and performance in high-amperage switching applications. Altech's UL 98 Disconnect Switches An industry first, these high-amperage disconnect switches are made from 100% recyclable plastic materials, reflecting Altech’s commitment to environmental responsibility without compromising performance. Built for...

While today’s critical mineral markets may appear well supplied, with prices well down from the highs seen in 2021 and 2022, a new IEA report finds that a combination of increasing supply concentration in a handful of countries and the spread of export restrictions is raising the risk of painful disruptions. The 2025 edition of the IEA’s annual Global Critical Minerals Outlook, presents the latest data and analysis on supply, demand, investment and more for key energy-related minera...

LOVATO Electric launches the new motorized changeover switches type GLCM, a solution that combines innovation, reliability, and ease of installation. These switches are designed to automatically switch between a primary power line and a secondary emergency line, ensuring continuity of supply for priority loads. Compliance with UL1008 standards The range includes three-pole and four-pole versions, available in IEC versions with currents from 125A to 315A They are used across a...

Nidec India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Nidec Corporation, announced that it has held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new (third) building of its existing factory in Neemrana, Rajasthan in the Republic of India (“India”). the groundbreaking ceremony Time & date: 10:30–12:00 on Monday, May 19, 2025, local time Place: Neemrana, Rajasthan, India Main attendees included: Mr. Mitsuya Kishida – Representative Director, President and CEO, Nidec Corporation M...

On The Tools, the UK’s largest online construction community, is proud to announce a new sector partnership with City Electrical Factors (CEF) – the UK’s pioneering electrical wholesaler – in a shared mission to better support and celebrate the UK’s electrical workforce. Awareness of CEF’s offerings With a network of nearly twice as many distribution outlets as their nearest competitor, CEF is known for offering unrivaled customer service, deep product knowl...

Delta announces the debut of two Industrial Automation products at SPS Italia, taking place on 13-15 May 2025. Engineered for the Industry 4.0 era, the new ASDA-A3EP servo drive and the new Delta Human Machine Interface DOP-300 Series help accelerate the pace of factory automation while realizing greater efficiency, agility and productivity benefits. They will both be present on Delta’s booth (5, A025) alongside its existing range of VP3000 Series Drives and MSI Motors, and the award-winn...

barox Kommunikation AG, the manufacturer of professional switches, media converters and IP extenders specifically designed for video applications, has released the new ultra-dynamic KN-LGIPR38-28AD, 24-port, 10Gb Managed Industrial Ethernet PoE+ switch. In addition to employing the usual extensive barox cybersecurity features, the new KN-LGIPR38-28AD includes 90~264VAC and 57VDC power inputs, enabling up to 720W PoE capability, and power redundancy with either two DC, or one DC and one AC power...