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Cash-strapped South African state utility Eskom says it has used debt and its own cash to finance power transmission infrastructure projects that could unlock more grid capacity in the next few years as market operator NTCSA prepares for operation.

Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)- and London AIM-listed Mkango Resources is planning three solar PV plants at its Songwe Hill mine. The $311m rare earths project has an estimated 18-year life-of-mine.

Ireland’s Mainstream Renewable Power (Mainstream) has announced that it has achieved financial close on its 97.5MW Free State solar PV project in South Africa. Power generated from the plant will supply Sasol and Air Liquide’s operations in Secunda, in Mpumalanga province.

The West African Power Pool (Wapp) has inaugurated its Information and Co-ordination Centre (ICC) at its headquarters in Cotonou, Benin.

Port Harcourt-headquartered First Independent Power Ltd (Fipl) has signed a long-term contract with the United States’ General Electric (GE) for the maintenance of the gas turbine at its Afam Phase I plant.

SolarAfrica has outlined to African Energy the latest timeframe for the first phase of its 1GW SunCentral solar PV wheeling project in South Africa's Northern Cape. The project is among the first private projects to be issued with an Eskom budget quote since the utility changed grid allocation rules and gave priority to shovel-ready generation projects under the Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP).

Sekaname Proprietary and state utility Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the development of a pilot Sekaname coal bed methane (CBM) plant. Authorities in Botswana, which has been undertaking CBM prospecting for many years, see the commercial production of gas as a step towards the country transitioning from coal-dependent generation to a new energy mix that include gas, solar and wind.

Portugal’s MCA Group has started the implementation of its €1.2bn ($1.3bn) rural electrification programme in Bié, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malange and Moxico provinces. The programme includes the installation of solar PV and battery capacity across 46 mini-grid sites and 12 grid-connected sites.

Australian junior AVZ is fighting on several fronts to keep its Manono lithium project on track. Development has been delayed by disputes with AVZ’s own shareholders and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government. The Perth-headquartered junior has, however, received an ICC emergency ruling in its favour, writes François Misser.

African Energy Live Data started consistently monitoring power project pipelines across the continent eight years ago. An analysis of the figures for South Africa shows a tragic lost opportunity in the shape of many gigawatts of potential renewable generation capacity with no foreseeable chance of being connected to the grid.

Eskom’s most recent Transmission Development Plan (TDP) 2023-32 and Grid Connection Capacity Assessment (GCCA) 2025 showed there was no capacity for additional power to be connected to the grid in the entire western half of South Africa, the location of almost all planned wind generation projects and a large amount of solar and other potential capacity.

In a major investigation, African Energy’s editorial and data teams have probed unanswered questions about South Africa’s energy transition, which is being shaped by large corporations and their need for reliable, low-carbon power. The results show a booming private sector electricity market that is also unpredictable and freighted with risk for all participants.

In a major investigation, African Energy has probed unanswered questions about South Africa’s energy transition, which is being shaped by large corporations and their need for reliable, low-carbon power. African Energy has reviewed the details of corporate developments and Nersa licensing decisions, evaluated the outlook for transmission projects and sounded out sources across the industry. The African Energy team has also studied the sustainability and climate change pledges of Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) members. EIUG is a voluntary body that represents many of the country’s largest power consumers.   African Energy’s research has revealed several key factors on which the future of the sector will depend. 

Published November 2023, this map focuses on the potential for green power to supply South Africa’s most energy intensive users. The map shows South Africa's main areas of solar and wind power generation and their proximity to existing and planned transmission infrastructure. The location of industrial sites (coal mines, smelters, steel works, chemicals, other mines and other industries) connected to members of South Africa's Energy Intensive Users Group are shown to illustrate the challenges in linking these sites to renewable energy power generation.

The future of electric power generation in South Africa is no longer in the hands of state-owned utility Eskom. Although it controls more than 80% of installed capacity, including 45GW of coal-fired generation, changes in the electricity supply industry are now being driven by the installation of many gigawatts-worth of captive solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, following the removal of licence restrictions.