The Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) says it is in talks to provide Eskom with financing and technology.
Jica is also funding technology developed by Hitachi that would reduce the amount of electricity lost during distribution. Hitachi and Eskom have begun talks on the use of this technology.
Jica is a state-owned agency responsible for technical co-operation carried out under Japan’s official development assistance.
In 2007, Hitachi Power Africa, now Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Africa, was awarded Eskom contracts valued at R38bn at the time, for work including the construction of boilers at Medupi and Kusile power stations.
Director-general at the ministry of foreign affairs of Japan Norio Maruyama said SA needed to solve its power-generation problems otherwise they would undermine growth and connectivity in Southern Africa. Any power-generation solutions were "open to SA", including the nuclear programme. "Power-generation is not the only solution. People are also needed to accompany the technology."
Mr Maruyama said Japan was again considering nuclear power and had restarted one nuclear power plant.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, following which Japan closed all its nuclear power plants.
Before the event, about 27% of the country’s energy came from nuclear power, 27% from liquid natural gas, 24% from coal, 12% from oil and the rest from renewables. Japan intends to reduce dependence on nuclear to 22% by 2030.
Jica regional director for southern Africa Komori Masakatsu would not give details on the discussions with Eskom or the amount sought. "We have started talking with Eskom, because Eskom needs financing and technology. And we are starting preliminary discussions of how we can co-operate."
Mr Masakatsu said it was important for SA’s coal plants to be rehabilitated and the discussions would include how Japan could participate. This could include a visit by Eskom’s team to Japan to see how the Japanese maintained and rehabilitated their plants.
The agency intended to support Japanese companies, such as Hitachi, that were assisting SA with its energy crisis, he said.
Several Japanese companies could also advise SA on its nuclear power programme.
However, Hitachi has not been without controversy in SA.
Last year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission charged Hitachi with paying African National Congress front company Chancellor House a $1m "success fee" and $5m in "dividends" in connection with contracts to build the Medupi and Kusile power stations.
The commission said Hitachi agreed to pay $19m to settle the charges, without admitting or denying the allegations. Chancellor House was, until 2014, the empowerment partner of Hitachi subsidiary Hitachi Power Africa, in which it was a 25% shareholder.
Hitachi came under fire in 2013 for defective welding on boilers it was constructing for Medupi.
There are more than 130 Japanese companies operating in SA, according to Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs.
Mr Maruyama said these companies viewed SA as a gateway to the rest of the continent.
by Andiswa Maqutu,
Jica is also funding technology developed by Hitachi that would reduce the amount of electricity lost during distribution. Hitachi and Eskom have begun talks on the use of this technology.
Jica is a state-owned agency responsible for technical co-operation carried out under Japan’s official development assistance.
In 2007, Hitachi Power Africa, now Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Africa, was awarded Eskom contracts valued at R38bn at the time, for work including the construction of boilers at Medupi and Kusile power stations.
Director-general at the ministry of foreign affairs of Japan Norio Maruyama said SA needed to solve its power-generation problems otherwise they would undermine growth and connectivity in Southern Africa. Any power-generation solutions were "open to SA", including the nuclear programme. "Power-generation is not the only solution. People are also needed to accompany the technology."
Mr Maruyama said Japan was again considering nuclear power and had restarted one nuclear power plant.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, following which Japan closed all its nuclear power plants.
Before the event, about 27% of the country’s energy came from nuclear power, 27% from liquid natural gas, 24% from coal, 12% from oil and the rest from renewables. Japan intends to reduce dependence on nuclear to 22% by 2030.
Jica regional director for southern Africa Komori Masakatsu would not give details on the discussions with Eskom or the amount sought. "We have started talking with Eskom, because Eskom needs financing and technology. And we are starting preliminary discussions of how we can co-operate."
Mr Masakatsu said it was important for SA’s coal plants to be rehabilitated and the discussions would include how Japan could participate. This could include a visit by Eskom’s team to Japan to see how the Japanese maintained and rehabilitated their plants.
The agency intended to support Japanese companies, such as Hitachi, that were assisting SA with its energy crisis, he said.
Several Japanese companies could also advise SA on its nuclear power programme.
However, Hitachi has not been without controversy in SA.
Last year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission charged Hitachi with paying African National Congress front company Chancellor House a $1m "success fee" and $5m in "dividends" in connection with contracts to build the Medupi and Kusile power stations.
The commission said Hitachi agreed to pay $19m to settle the charges, without admitting or denying the allegations. Chancellor House was, until 2014, the empowerment partner of Hitachi subsidiary Hitachi Power Africa, in which it was a 25% shareholder.
Hitachi came under fire in 2013 for defective welding on boilers it was constructing for Medupi.
There are more than 130 Japanese companies operating in SA, according to Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs.
Mr Maruyama said these companies viewed SA as a gateway to the rest of the continent.
by Andiswa Maqutu,
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