The South African government has announced its plans to accelerate the development of 3 GW of gas-fired power stations, including a new 1 GW plant in the Eastern Cape's Coega region and a 2 GW mobile facility that are currently in the procurement and permitting phases. Initial plans to build a 3 GW CCGT power plant in Richards Bay have met a fierce environmental opposition.
Moreover, the operating license of the 40-year-old, 1.94 GW Koeberg nuclear power plant is expected to be extended by another 20 years. Renewable energy procurement rounds are also programmed to help with the energy shortages, with more than 5.5 GW of new renewable energy projects expected to become operational by 2026. However, the Bid Window Seven (BW7) that was expected to be launched in September 2023 has been pushed to December, and its tentative date remains uncertain.
With Eskom’s coal fleet aging and causing daily power outages, the government estimates the need for an additional 6 GW of power to stabilise the grid.
By the end of 2022, South Africa’s installed capacity exceeded 65 GW, 73% of which is from coal, 10% from solar, 5% from hydroelectricity, 5% from wind, 4% from oil, and 3% from nuclear.
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