South Africa weighs mega renewable-energy tender to curb outages

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa proposed a “mega bid window” for the procurement of renewable energy to curb rolling blackouts, even as previous plans to build clean power generation have been delayed. Ramokgopa recommended buying a minimum of 15 000 MW of energy, in addition to other measures that go beyond a seventh round of auctions for renewable-power supply that’s already planned. The proposal is evidence of the country’s commitment to green power, the minister said at a solar-energy conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday, even as he pushes to extend the life of coal-fired electricity plants.