{"id":379499,"date":"2026-08-15T15:08:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T15:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/379499\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T15:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T15:08:09","slug":"south-africa-bets-on-renewables-but-its-power-grid-is-not-ready","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/379499\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa bets on renewables, but its power grid is not ready"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Giant<\/p>\n

Giant wind turbines dot the landscape at the Darling Wind Power national demonstration project near Cape Town (file). South Africa is planning to add 105 gigawatts of generating capacity to the grid by 2039, including through nuclear, wind and solar power \u2014 more than doubling its current capacity.<\/p>\n

Faced\u00a0with\u00a0spiralling\u00a0energy\u00a0costs\u00a0and\u00a0growing\u00a0demand,\u00a0South\u00a0Africa\u00a0is\u00a0investing\u00a0heavily\u00a0in\u00a0green\u00a0energy,\u00a0but\u00a0without\u00a0enough\u00a0cables\u00a0to\u00a0transmit\u00a0the\u00a0power,\u00a0it\u00a0faces\u00a0a\u00a0‘gridlock’\u00a0that\u00a0could\u00a0stop\u00a0it\u00a0reaching\u00a0its\u00a0full\u00a0renewable\u00a0potential.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

President\u00a0Cyril\u00a0Ramaphosa\u00a0opened\u00a0the\u00a0latest\u00a0green\u00a0energy\u00a0project\u00a0last\u00a0month,\u00a0a\u00a0155-megawatt\u00a0wind\u00a0farm\u00a0in\u00a0Mpumalanga\u00a0province,\u00a0calling\u00a0it\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0“clean\u00a0energy\u00a0revolution”.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Electricity\u00a0that\u00a0is\u00a0affordable,\u00a0reliable\u00a0and\u00a0increasingly\u00a0clean\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0lifeblood\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0growing\u00a0economy,”\u00a0he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

South\u00a0Africa\u00a0is\u00a0planning\u00a0to\u00a0add\u00a0105\u00a0gigawatts\u00a0of\u00a0generating\u00a0capacity\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0grid\u00a0by\u00a02039,\u00a0including\u00a0through\u00a0nuclear,\u00a0wind\u00a0and\u00a0solar\u00a0power\u00a0\u2014\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0doubling\u00a0its\u00a0current\u00a0capacity.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But\u00a0experts\u00a0say\u00a0there\u00a0is\u00a0one\u00a0big\u00a0impediment;\u00a0a\u00a0lack\u00a0of\u00a0transmission\u00a0lines\u00a0to\u00a0carry\u00a0all\u00a0that\u00a0energy.\u00a0Thousands\u00a0of\u00a0green\u00a0energy\u00a0projects\u00a0are\u00a0currently\u00a0unable\u00a0to\u00a0connect\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0national\u00a0grid\u00a0at\u00a0all.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“This\u00a0‘gridlock’\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0single\u00a0biggest\u00a0hurdle\u00a0to\u00a0unleashing\u00a0the\u00a0country’s\u00a0renewable\u00a0potential,\u00a0creating\u00a0a\u00a0significant\u00a0risk\u00a0of\u00a0stalling\u00a0the\u00a0green\u00a0transition\u00a0and\u00a0even\u00a0triggering\u00a0further\u00a0electricity\u00a0and\u00a0economic\u00a0crises,”\u00a0Wayne\u00a0Cowie,\u00a0CEO\u00a0at\u00a0Energy\u00a0Exchange\u00a0South\u00a0Africa,\u00a0a\u00a0private\u00a0sector\u00a0energy\u00a0trader,\u00a0wrote\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0company’s\u00a0website\u00a0in\u00a0June.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Grid\u00a0capacity\u00a0in\u00a0most\u00a0high-resource\u00a0green\u00a0energy\u00a0generation\u00a0areas\u00a0has\u00a0reached\u00a0saturation,\u00a0making\u00a0it\u00a0difficult\u00a0to\u00a0deliver\u00a0renewable\u00a0power\u00a0to\u00a0those\u00a0who\u00a0need\u00a0it,”\u00a0he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

To\u00a0fix\u00a0this,\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0says\u00a0thousands\u00a0of\u00a0kilometres\u00a0of\u00a0power\u00a0lines\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0added\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0grid\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0next\u00a010\u00a0years\u00a0at\u00a0an\u00a0estimated\u00a0cost\u00a0of\u00a0400bn\u00a0rand\u00a0(\u00a318bn).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We\u00a0need\u00a014,500\u00a0km\u00a0(9,000\u00a0miles)\u00a0of\u00a0transmission\u00a0lines,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0built\u00a0on\u00a0average\u00a0200\u00a0km”\u00a0a\u00a0year,\u00a0Electricity\u00a0and\u00a0Energy\u00a0Minister\u00a0Kgosientsho\u00a0Ramokgopa\u00a0admitted\u00a0last\u00a0week.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Asked\u00a0why\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0taking\u00a0so\u00a0long,\u00a0Kevin\u00a0Mileham,\u00a0energy\u00a0spokesperson\u00a0for\u00a0South\u00a0Africa’s\u00a0second-biggest\u00a0political\u00a0party,\u00a0the\u00a0Democratic\u00a0Alliance,\u00a0said\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0delay\u00a0was\u00a0due\u00a0to\u00a0red\u00a0tape.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“There’s\u00a0a\u00a0partnership\u00a0model\u00a0that\u00a0they’re\u00a0looking\u00a0at\u00a0to\u00a0build\u00a0this\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0grid.\u00a0They’ve\u00a0got\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0through\u00a0a\u00a0process\u00a0of\u00a0appointing\u00a0these\u00a0private\u00a0contractors,\u00a0so\u00a0there’s\u00a0a\u00a0tender\u00a0process\u00a0that\u00a0has\u00a0to\u00a0roll\u00a0out,”\u00a0he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another\u00a0hurdle\u00a0is\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0components\u00a0needed\u00a0are\u00a0not\u00a0manufactured\u00a0locally.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Many\u00a0of\u00a0these\u00a0things\u00a0are\u00a0on\u00a0back\u00a0order,”\u00a0he\u00a0said.\u00a0“We\u00a0are\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0wait\u00a0two,\u00a0three\u00a0years\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0some\u00a0of\u00a0it.”<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ramokgopa\u00a0was\u00a0in\u00a0Beijing\u00a0last\u00a0week\u00a0courting\u00a0investment\u00a0and\u00a0said\u00a0six\u00a0Chinese\u00a0companies\u00a0had\u00a0agreed\u00a0to\u00a0set\u00a0up\u00a0factories\u00a0in\u00a0South\u00a0Africa\u00a0to\u00a0manufacture\u00a0the\u00a0transformers\u00a0and\u00a0pylons\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0support\u00a0grid\u00a0expansion.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

China,\u00a0the\u00a0world’s\u00a0top\u00a0renewable\u00a0energy\u00a0producer,\u00a0is\u00a0already\u00a0a\u00a0major\u00a0investor\u00a0in\u00a0South\u00a0Africa’s\u00a0green\u00a0energy\u00a0sector.\u00a0The\u00a0turbines\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0new\u00a0Mpumalanga\u00a0wind\u00a0farm\u00a0were\u00a0supplied\u00a0by\u00a0a\u00a0Chinese\u00a0company.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0regions\u00a0that\u00a0are\u00a0best\u00a0for\u00a0renewable\u00a0energy,\u00a0the\u00a0sunny\u00a0northern\u00a0Cape\u00a0for\u00a0solar\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0Eastern\u00a0and\u00a0Western\u00a0Cape\u00a0for\u00a0wind,\u00a0there\u00a0is\u00a0next\u00a0to\u00a0no\u00a0capacity\u00a0left\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0grid,\u00a0Mileham\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“In\u00a0other\u00a0areas,\u00a0for\u00a0example\u00a0in\u00a0Mpumalanga,\u00a0as\u00a0we\u00a0shut\u00a0down\u00a0coal\u00a0plants,\u00a0grid\u00a0capacity\u00a0becomes\u00a0available,”\u00a0he\u00a0added.\u00a0“But\u00a0it’s\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0optimal\u00a0place\u00a0to\u00a0add\u00a0new\u00a0renewable\u00a0energy.”<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

South\u00a0Africa\u00a0has\u00a0long\u00a0battled\u00a0with\u00a0power\u00a0shortages\u00a0due\u00a0to\u00a0aging\u00a0and\u00a0damaged\u00a0infrastructure,\u00a0while\u00a0the\u00a0state\u00a0power\u00a0utility\u00a0Eskom\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0plagued\u00a0by\u00a0mismanagement,\u00a0financial\u00a0losses\u00a0and\u00a0was\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time\u00a0unable\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0demand.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As\u00a0a\u00a0result,\u00a0in\u00a02023\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0introduced\u00a0daily\u00a0power\u00a0cuts\u00a0known\u00a0as\u00a0“load\u00a0shedding”\u00a0to\u00a0conserve\u00a0electricity,\u00a0a\u00a0huge\u00a0blow\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0economy.That\u00a0is\u00a0now\u00a0largely\u00a0a\u00a0thing\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0past,\u00a0partly\u00a0thanks\u00a0to\u00a0homes\u00a0and\u00a0businesses\u00a0installing\u00a0their\u00a0own\u00a0solar,\u00a0Mileham\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The\u00a0amount\u00a0of\u00a0renewable\u00a0energy\u00a0we’ve\u00a0added\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0grid\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0last\u00a0five\u00a0years\u00a0or\u00a0so\u00a0has\u00a0offset\u00a0what\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0load\u00a0shedding,”\u00a0he\u00a0explained,\u00a0noting\u00a0that\u00a0rooftop\u00a0solar\u00a0does\u00a0not\u00a0require\u00a0a\u00a0grid\u00a0connection.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mileham\u00a0also\u00a0pointed\u00a0out\u00a0that\u00a0if\u00a0a\u00a0mining\u00a0company\u00a0built\u00a0a\u00a0solar\u00a0power\u00a0plant\u00a0next\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0coal\u00a0mine,\u00a0“you\u00a0don’t\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0transmit\u00a0that\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0transmission\u00a0infrastructure”.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In\u00a0an\u00a0effort\u00a0to\u00a0fix\u00a0South\u00a0Africa’s\u00a0power\u00a0issues,\u00a0Ramaphosa\u00a0this\u00a0year\u00a0announced\u00a0plans\u00a0to\u00a0break\u00a0up\u00a0Eskom\u00a0and\u00a0create\u00a0a\u00a0standalone\u00a0company\u00a0to\u00a0run\u00a0the\u00a0transmission\u00a0grid.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mileham\u00a0says\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0desperately\u00a0needed,\u00a0because\u00a0as\u00a0it\u00a0currently\u00a0stands\u00a0Eskom\u00a0is\u00a0“both\u00a0player\u00a0and\u00a0referee”,\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0competition\u00a0against\u00a0independent\u00a0power\u00a0producers\u00a0for\u00a0grid\u00a0access.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But\u00a0Eskom\u00a0is\u00a0pushing\u00a0back.\u00a0Last\u00a0week\u00a0board\u00a0chair\u00a0Mteto\u00a0Nyati\u00a0urged\u00a0the\u00a0government\u00a0to\u00a0delay\u00a0the\u00a0transfer\u00a0of\u00a0power\u00a0line\u00a0assets,\u00a0warning\u00a0that\u00a0otherwise\u00a0there\u00a0were\u00a0major\u00a0financial\u00a0risks\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0utility.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0Ramaphosa\u00a0told\u00a0industrialists\u00a0this\u00a0week\u00a0that\u00a0“a\u00a0competitive\u00a0electricity\u00a0market\u00a0also\u00a0requires\u00a0a\u00a0transmission\u00a0system\u00a0that\u00a0is\u00a0independent,\u00a0efficient\u00a0and\u00a0capable\u00a0of\u00a0providing\u00a0fair\u00a0access\u00a0to\u00a0all\u00a0market\u00a0participants.”<\/p>\n

Related Story<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Gulf<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"India's<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Giant wind turbines dot the landscape at the Darling Wind Power national demonstration project near Cape Town (file).…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379500,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[52],"tags":[63,181537,1866,12677,5406,11084,24018,6640,7976,47681,19367,1044,131],"class_list":["post-379499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-south-africa","tag-africa","tag-bets","tag-but","tag-grid","tag-is","tag-its","tag-not","tag-on","tag-power","tag-ready","tag-renewables","tag-south","tag-south-africa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@africa\/117100158364350452","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}