The National Energy Regulator issued the new permits to CBI Electric Apollo, Discovery Green, Green Electron Market and GreenCo Power Services. That was despite Eskom’s objections to allowing more than one electricity provider in the same area.

The licenses were approved “without the necessary trading rules for the industry being developed,” the state utility said in a statement on Wednesday

(All times Central African Time.)

South African Plans Infrastructure Investment Trusts (Oct. 30, 2:04 p.m.)

South Africa plans to establish infrastructure investment trusts and set up a blended-finance vehicle to encourage private companies to help develop roads, power-transmission networks and other public-works projects.

The government will also designate infrastructure as a separate asset class to help it attract funding, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said in his budget update in Cape Town.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is seeking as much as 3.2 trillion rand ($182 billion) from the private sector by 2030 to help upgrade infrastructure.

Transnet Eases Procurement Rules (Oct. 30, 5 a.m.)

Transnet SOC Ltd. changed its procurement policy so it can accelerate work on urgent projects and maintenance, Business Day reported.

The state-owned port and freight-rail operator wants long-term agreements with original equipment manufacturers and customers so that when infrastructure breaks down or there are other problems, it can access essential equipment quicker, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said.

US Options for Modular Nuclear Reactors Explored (Oct. 29, 10:41 a.m.)

Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa visited X-energy LLC’s facilities as he considers the US developer of small modular nuclear reactors, Business Day reported, citing the minister’s office.

South Africa plans to procure 2,500 megawatts of new nuclear-generation capacity, almost a third more than what can be produced by Africa’s only nuclear power plant — the Koeberg facility in Cape Town, the paper said.