- The government of the province of Gauteng is taking measures to deal with the load shedding that is affecting the development of its economy.
- These include the construction of an 800 MWp solar photovoltaic plant in the coming months
Despite new leadership at the helm of state-owned Eskom and the establishment of a ministry devoted to the energy problem, electricity load shedding persists in South Africa. Local governments are changing their energy policy to become more independent of the Eskom grid in order to maintain their economy. The province of Gauteng recently announced an investment of over $66 million (1.2 billion South African rand) to lessen load shedding.
In the upcoming weeks, the provincial administration intends to appoint six developers to work on the construction of an 800 MWp solar photovoltaic project in the Merafong municipality. The plant will serve as a starting point for addressing Gauteng’s energy shortage. By 2025, the province of Gauteng, which has a population of over 15 million, is anticipated to have a 4058-Megawatt electricity shortage.
In the upcoming years, Gauteng province is anticipated to increase its investment in energy production. Nonetheless, the provincial government is choosing to put solar panels on the roofs of public facilities including hospitals, clinics, and schools for the time being.
Many other provinces and municipalities in South Africa have also chosen to produce their own electricity in response to the energy crisis that is destroying the country’s economy. For instance, the city of Cape Town has made the decision to publish a request for proposals in February 2022 for the direct purchase of power from IPP. The aim is to gain autonomy from the Eskom network, which is fed by old thermal power stations that are partly responsible for the current situation