The World Bank’s private sector financier, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has indicated a willingness to fund public–private partnerships (PPPs) aimed at expanding and strengthening South Africa’s transmission infrastructure. IFC VP for Africa Sérgio Pimenta tells Engineering News that the private sector already plays a significant role in deploying electricity grids in most developed countries and some emerging markets and that South Africa is well-placed to pilot such PPPs in light of the urgent need to expand the domestic grid, particularly in provinces with potent wind and solar resources.
