South Africa will prioritise the expansion of its grid over the next decade as it aims to finally put an end to daily power cuts, said Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government is working on about 25 projects in existing substations that could potentially unlock about 13 gigawatts of energy, he told reporters on Sunday (23 July).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the next 10 years, we think that it\u2019s possible for us to be able to have an additional 24 gigawatt,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With solutions far in the future, though, South Africa\u2019s power problems roll on. State-owned utility Eskom announced continued and various stages of load shedding for the week ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Power breakdowns in Africa\u2019s most industrialised nation have increased to 16,943MW of generating capacity, it said in a statement. \u201cThe grid remains vulnerable and susceptible to plummeting availability of megawatts,\u201d Ramokgopa said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New grid regulations and capacity are already an issue <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A South African power-project developer is seeking to block new rules governing the connection of plants to the national electricity grid, saying they are flawed and will impair the addition of more generation capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite Ramokgopa and Eskom’s expansion plans, the power utility is still struggling to meet electricity demand which is hobbling economic growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Private generation projects that could relieve pressure on the system have been sidelined, in part because of a lack of connections to the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To alleviate that pressure, Eskom introduced its so-called Interim Grid Capacity Allocation Rules, but developer G7 Renewable Energies argued they would hinder new operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eskom\u2019s application of the IGCA rules \u201cwill determine applications for grid access in accordance with rules which have been adopted in a manner that is unlawful, unreasonable and irrational,\u201d G7 Chief Executive Officer Kilian Hagemann said in a copy of a filed affidavit seen by Bloomberg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The rules will also \u201ccompel applicants for access to undertake procedures which are onerous and prejudicial,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eskom said it wasn\u2019t immediately able to comment. In June, the utility said the rules would avoid \u201chogging\u201d of grid capacity and ensure only so-called shovel-ready projects are allocated capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rules will impose greater costs on developers of new generation plants and their customers, the South African Independent Power Producers Association, a lobby group, said earlier this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n G7 Renewable Energies is involved in two wind farms identified in the court papers that are not part of a government program to buy power from producers but will provide electricity to private customers. Such projects \u201cwill serve to reduce the burden on Eskom,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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