South Africa to embrace off-grid generation
Africa’s richest nation will resort to allowing industry to generate its own power, to relieve pressure on beleaguered state utility Eskom amid load-shedding crisis
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly stated that his government will facilitate the generation of power by private firms, and even households, to relieve pressure on the national grid during ongoing periodic load-shedding and blackouts. Ramaphosa heard from business leaders at the Business Unity South Africa’s (BUSA) Economic Indaba on 14 January in Johannesburg that energy supply was the number one priority and urgent action is needed. Industry, particularly the mining sector, has been lobbying hard for regulatory approval to generate its own power. Amid a deteriorating economic and employment situation, and a falling sovereign credit rating, power has become a pre-eminent i
Also in this section
17 May 2024
The latest drought crisis is passing, but longer-term solutions are in motion, explains Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez Morales
16 May 2024
Flat oil growth in 2024 highlights mounting industry problems
15 May 2024
Five years ago, Uzbekistan turned to a private company called Saneg to reverse the fortunes of its oil industry. Results so far are encouraging, and according to CEO Tulkin Yusupov, further progress is on the way
13 May 2024
But optimism about island nation checked by competition around African upstream investment and history of false dawns