State-owned utility Eskom has expressed support for the launch of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025, which it said aims to balance energy security, affordability, environmental sustainability and socioeconomic priorities in the country’s transition from high-carbon to low-carbon energy sources. The IRP 2025 sets out a framework for electricity supply intended to accelerate economic growth and inclusion, in a context where South Africa’s overall unemployment is 30% and youth unemployment exceeds 50%.
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JSE-listed real estate investment trust (Reit) Growthpoint Properties has acquired a 30% stake in independent power producer Serengeti Energy’s operational Boston Hydro plant near Clarens, in the Free State. The plant is a new R390-million development with an operational lifespan of over 40 years.
Real estate investment and fund manager ALT Capital Partners, through its REimagine Fund 1, has formed a strategic partnership with the investment holding company New GX Capital funded Airnergize Ventures, which focuses on early-stage and scalable disruptive utilities management businesses. Its first investment is into Bolide, which is an integrated utilities brand designed to bridge the utilities service divide, thereby assisting businesses and body corporates to spend less for cleaner and sustainable funded utilities.
The Industrial Gas Users Association of Southern Africa (IGUA-SA) has welcomed the focus given to gas in the Integrated Resource Plan 2025 (IRP 2025), but executive officer Jaco Human says critical supply-side questions will still have to be answered if the impending gas supply cliff is to be averted. Describing as a significant shift the plan’s target of raising the share of gas in the electricity generation mix to 11% by 2039, or to 16 000 MW from close to zero currently, Human said IGUA-SA wholeheartedly welcomed the “strategic pivot towards gas”.
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.
INDUSTRY NEWS
- NERSA appoints Electricity Market Advisory Forum to guide power-market reformDecember 19, 2025 - 2:04 pm
- Eskom offers more details on envisaged roles of the NTCSA and the TSODecember 18, 2025 - 11:04 am
- NTCSA says any electricity deal to salvage Mozal must ensure its financial sustainabilityDecember 17, 2025 - 3:01 pm
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