Public hearing participant questions Nersa mandate in evolving electricity market

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) was outdated, and regulation changes were needed to bring it in line with current trends, the only respondent to public hearings into gold miner Gold Fields’ application to build a 40 MW solar plant near its mine in Westonaria said on Thursday. Brian Day, of Today Innovation, said at the public hearing that he supported power plant licences, such as the one applied for by Gold Fields. “I fully support the applicant, and anyone else who wants to generate electricity for a private client to be issued with the requisite generation licence by Nersa.”