- The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), a division of South Africa’s state owned energy utility, Eskom, has confirmed the resignation of Isabel Fick, the General Manager of the System Operator.
- Fick, widely recognised for her role in safeguarding the national grid during periods of severe load shedding, will leave NTCSA on 31 January after three decades of service.
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She is set to join energy trader and IPP, Africa GreenCo which is a member of the Southern African Power Pool, and its subsidiary GreenCo Power Services holds a domestic electricity trading licence and an electricity import/export licence in South Africa.
Fick has been responsible for maintaining grid stability, balancing electricity supply and demand, and overseeing transmission system operations across the country. NTCSA stated that, given the critical nature of the position, the organisation intends to fill the role as soon as possible. An acting appointment will be made during Fick’s notice period to ensure a smooth transition, with several candidates currently under consideration.
NTCSA expressed its appreciation for her dedication, highlighting her 30 years of service to Eskom and the last five years leading the System Operator. The company says it has a strong pool of capable professionals who will continue the work of ensuring system stability during the transition.
The office she led comprises roughly 700 staff working across national control, technical operations, telecommunications, grid code compliance and system reliability services.
Fick is an electrical engineer with almost 30 years of industry experience. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of the North West and a Government Certificate of Competence. She has served on the Eskom Transmission Board and on the governing board of GO15, the global association of very large power grid operators.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
