Renewable Energy Programme
Cape Town – A substantial increase of over 7 000 megawatts (MW) has been connected to South Africa’s national electricity grid, announced Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe.
The addition is a result of the government’s ambitious Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP), which has been gaining steam with private sector investment.
While addressing the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Cape Town on Tuesday, Mantashe provided updates on the strides the government-led initiative has made since its inception in 2011. “The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has procured some 13 266MW from 140 Independent Power Producers whose technologies are based on renewable energy, diesel, and battery energy storage,” Mantashe conveyed. He went on to highlight that 7 362MW is now actively connected and supplementing the national grid thanks to 95 IPPs.
The energy program, focused on easing the country’s energy woes, incorporates renewables such as wind, biomass, and small hydro, underscoring a growing shift towards sustainable solutions. “We need a combination of renewables and base load to deal with the challenges facing us,” Mantashe stressed.
Outlining the next steps, Mantashe mentioned that additional capacity is on the horizon, with 45 IPPs poised to deliver another 5 904MW after construction or reaching commercial close. In tandem with fossil-based power generation, he revealed the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)’s agreement with Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, on a 2 500MW nuclear capacity projection.
The Minister also took pride in the current administration’s progress, stating that “Some 5 939MW has been procured from 46 IPPs, with 150MW already supplying power to the grid and a further 1 587MW expected from September this year.” He posited that South Africa could be at the foreground of the worldwide energy transition.
Mantashe extended the discourse to mining, lauding transformation efforts over thirty years of democracy. He presented findings that illustrate a shift towards black ownership in major mining companies, noting significant advancements in coal, manganese, platinum group metals, and the gold sector, where companies like ARM and Harmony are becoming predominant.
Looking ahead, Mantashe stressed the importance of exploration for sustained growth in the mining industry. “We have just launched an exploration fund. It is essential to invest in exploration to ensure the mining sector’s future remains bright,” he explained.