Telecommunications giant Vodacom and South African State-owned power utility Eskom on Wednesday signed a first-of-its-kind virtual wheeling agreement that moves the JSE-listed firm closer to its goal of sourcing 100% of its electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2025 while adding capacity to the strained national grid. The agreement, co-developed by the parties to help accelerate efforts to solve the country’s energy crisis, enables Vodacom to secure independent power producers (IPPs) on the same terms and conditions that underpin its agreement with Eskom.
The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has confirmed that transitional arrangements are being put in place to ensure that the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) will be able to play the role of a transmission system and market operator ahead of legislative changes catering for that role. NTCSA is currently being established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Eskom Holdings, and acting DPE director-general Jacky Molisane told lawmakers in a briefing that the appointment of an independent board for the entity was under way, with a list of directors having been received by the department.