Cape Town investing another R1 billion to tackle load shedding
The City of Cape Town is investing another R1.2 billion into the Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme.
The city’s Building Hope Budget for 2023/24 proposes an investment of approximately R1.2 billion over the next nine years on the maintenance and expansion of the Steenbras hydro plant.
It said that this would continue to protect Cape Town residents from the impacts of load shedding and safeguard Cape Town’s electrical infrastructure.
The budget and execution of professional services will decide the final budget and delivery programme.
“Approximately R1 billion has been set aside for the refurbishment and extension of the Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme and approximately R200 million is earmarked for the maintenance of Steenbras,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen.
“The investment in Steenbras and the maintenance programme is crucial to fulfilling our commitment to protect customers from a stage or two of load-shedding where possible, with plans to expand protection with up to four stages in the near future as part of the load-shedding protection plan.
“Importantly, all Capetonians benefit directly or indirectly from the City’s power generation management and load-shedding protection as it also protects critical City infrastructure used for service provision and protects the City’s electricity network.”
Steenbras consists of four turbines that are used to generate 160MW of electricity.
Cape Town is the only city in South Africa operate a large pumped hydro-electric scheme, and it said that regular maintenance and good management of the power station helped offset and high tariff and demand periods.
The Stenbrass investment plan follows a separate R1.2 billion plan from the city to invest in a solar PV and battery storage project, which could produce 60MW of renewable energy
The city has also budgeted the following programmes to beat load shedding:
- R220 million on embedded independent power purchase
- R288 million on the Power Heroes programme which looks at voluntary power reduction in return for an incentive
- Estimate R1 billion investment in Steenbras (over the next nine years) subject to all due diligence and legal and regulatory processes
- R640 million on solar PV; R53 million Cash for Power programme, which involves selling excess power back to the City
- R50 million in Battery Storage
- R32 million on waste-to-energy
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