NTCSA says any electricity deal to salvage Mozal must ensure its financial sustainability

The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) reports that it remains open to finding a solution for the Mozal aluminium smelter. But it also insists that any new electricity supply agreement with the Mozambican facility should safeguard its financial stability and protect South African electricity consumers from unintended costs. In a statement following an announcement by South32 that Mozal would be placed into care and maintenance when a 20-year electricity deal expired on March 15, the Eskom Holdings subsidiary indicated that Mozal required an electricity price that was “significantly lower than the direct cost of supply”.
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ENGIE expects to start construction of 240 MW Corona PV project in late 2026

International energy company ENGIE reports that construction of its 240 MW Corona solar PV project in the Free State should begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, after the project was named as a preferred bidder by the South African government. Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa confirmed on December 15 that the Carona project, together with three other solar PV projects, had progressed to preferred bidder status under Bid Window Seven of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
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Global solar additions to fall for first time in 2026, says BNEF

Solar installations are set to drop next year for the first time since the industry emerged as a global force two decades ago, as policy shifts and saturation in major markets temper demand.

The world is set to add 649 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2026, down slightly from 2025, BNEF’s Global PV Market Outlook showed.

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IEA still expecting coal demand to fall by 2030 despite record 2025 demand

Global coal demand is on course to rise by 0.5% in 2025, reaching a record 8.85-billion tonnes, the ‘Coal 2025’ report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows. Nevertheless, the IEA is still forecasting that demand will fall by 2030, largely owing to shifts in the electricity sector, which currently accounts for two-thirds of total coal consumption.
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Seven international-led consortia prequalify to bid for $1bn inaugural private grid build programme

South Africa has named seven pre-qualified bidders from an initial list of 17 respondents to the prequalification phase of the country’s inaugural independent transmission project (ITP) programme, a request for proposals (RfP) for which will be launched in the second half of 2026. The companies have been prequalified to bid to build 1 164-km of powerlines and associated substation infrastructure across seven preselected corridors, and the projects are expected to have a combined investment value of about $1-billion.
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Two Western Cape wind farms secure offtake, reach financial close

South African energy trader Etana Energy has reported that it will purchase all of the renewable electricity generated by two new wind farms being built by global renewables group Acciona Energía for the first 20 years of operation. The Zen (100 MW) and Bergrivier (94 MW) windfarms, with a combined export capacity of 190 MW, are located between Gouda and Saron in the Western Cape and are expected to produce about 580 GWh/y of renewable electricity.
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Eskom awards contract to develop a Virtual Wheeling platform amid regulatory tensions

Eskom has quietly taken an important step in the rollout of its long-awaited Virtual Wheeling product, awarding a significant contract in the past few weeks to Johannesburg-based Enerweb to build a software platform that will automate and scale the utility’s new wheeling model.

The appointment represents the most tangible move yet toward operationalising the Virtual Wheeling initiative, viewed as central to unlocking wheeling of electricity from independent power producers (IPPs) to smaller and low-voltage customers connected either to the Eskom distribution network or embedded within the distribution networks of municipalities in good standing with Eskom.

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Nersa appoints three new regulators

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has appointed Willibrod Majola and Nomfundo Maseti as full-time regulator members for five years following Cabinet’s approval.

Nersa has also appointed Ria Govender as part-time regulator members for four years.

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New Eskom unbundling strategy approved

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the approval of a revised unbundling plan for Eskom and the potentially far-reaching implications for both the State-owned company and the framework governing the transition to a more competitive market structure,
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S Africa targets strategic, efficient builds for new transmission lines

For the national grid to facilitate increased renewable power generation, the Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) has affirmed that about 14 000 km of new transmission lines are required over the next decade, with DEE Deputy-Minister Samantha Graham-Maré asserting that transmission remains a critical issue for the country. Traditionally, State-owned power utility Eskom has set itself yearly targets of about 200 km of new transmission lines, and this remains part of its planning, with this year’s target being about 174 km.
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