Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s insistence that the State will lead and the market follow in the procurement of new electricity generation, while simultaneously indicating that any new investment will be “off balance sheet” for government and, thus, funded by the private sector, has raised questions. The Minister made the statement at a briefing held to release details of the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025), which he argued set the policy framework and that “everyone will procure according to this policy”. This, while also acknowledging that policy adjustments had been made that resulted in the plan deviating from a least-cost outcome.
The Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB) has issued its decision with respect to a dispute between JSE-listed Stefanutti Stocks and State-owned utility Eskom over the Kusile power station, finding that Stefanutti is entitled to additional payment of R685-million, excluding value-added tax. Both parties have the right to refer the decision to arbitration, however, in terms of the contract, the decision is binding and must be given effect to, unless and until it is revised by amicable settlement or an arbitral award.
South Africa’s latest Cabinet-approved Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025) includes several policy adjustments that deviate from the least-cost scenario modelled, including a raising of the minimum load factor to 50% for the initial gas-to-power (GtP) plants proposed for construction by 2030. The updated plan, which will be Gazetted by October 24, has allocated 6 000 MW to GtP by that date, a target that Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa acknowledged during a briefing would be difficult to meet.
Energy sector organisation the Energy Council of South Africa welcomes the rise in business confidence to 121.1 in September, as reported by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Business confidence is at its highest level this year and up from the 120 index points recorded in August.
As the South African energy sector undergoes a profound shift from traditional, centralised power generation to a more decentralised but interconnected one, digitally integrated systems can optimise production, strengthen grid management, improve efficiency and enable real-time decision-making, consultancy EY said this week.
EY senior specialist consultant Rashid Khan unpacked the value that digital technologies can bring to electricity systems that are more demanding on the grid and require smart balancing for stability.
Industry organisation the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) welcomes the findings of global energy think tank Ember, which has reported that renewable energy sources surpassed coal to become the world’s largest source of electricity generation in the first half of this year. This finding underscores the momentum of the solar-led energy transition and SAPVIA views this global turning point that was driven primarily by record growth in solar power as a validation of its vision for a sustainable and secure energy future for South Africa.
The 5.6 MW first phase of the SlimSun Too Solar development, located in Malmesbury in the Western Cape, is in its final commissioning stage and will soon begin supplying wheeled renewable electricity to businesses that have contracted with licensed trader Energy Exchange of Southern Africa (EXSA). The R87-million project has been developed in partnership with independent power producer Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS), which has also acted as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.
Industry was the biggest driver of solar energy adoption in South Africa. This was highlighted by Stellenbosch University Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies Senior Researcher Dr François Rozon, at the Solar & Storage Live Cape Town 2025 conference, on Thursday. Industry, he reported, had installed 4 GW of solar generating capacity, so far. This private generation capacity was double the amount installed by the country’s independent power producers, for public consumption.
As the world transitions to cleaner energy, Southern Africa’s abundant critical mineral resources, which could be key ingredients for many low-carbon technologies, have come into sharper focus. According to the ‘Financing Southern Africa’s Clean Power and Critical Minerals’ report – released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), with McKinsey & Company as knowledge partner, and under the WEF’s Securing Minerals for the Energy Transition (SMET) initiative – Southern Africa holds about 30% of the world’s critical-mineral reserves.
Natural gas reticulation company Egoli Gas has been working closely with chemicals and energy company Sasol to ensure that its transition to methane-rich gas (MRG) in 2028 is seamless, with the move marking an important milestone in the evolution of Johannesburg’s energy landscape. “For Egoli Gas and our customers, it means continuity and reliability of supply. No disruption to supply is expected and only minimal technical adjustments will be required for end-users where applicable,” says Egoli Gas GM Erika Da Cruz.
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