Energy projects worth R45 billion to employ thousands and end load-shedding.
South Africa’s minister of mineral resources Gwede Mantashe has announced the selection of eight preferred bidders to deliver an additional 2,000 megawatts of emergency electricity that will help contribute to the national grid over the short-term.
The preferred bidders from the Independent Power Producer Programme are expected to generate energy from solar, wind, liquefied natural gas and battery storage. The first connections to the grid are set for August 2022.
During a media briefing, acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said, “The eight projects will inject R45 billion into the economy, with an average local content of 50 percent and create some 3,800 job opportunities during construction. A further 13,500 job opportunities will be created during the 20-year purchase power agreement term.”
She added that the government was working on strategic interventions for the electricity system that will fundamentally improve the country’s power generation capacity.
The Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) was released to the market in August 2020 with the aim of easing the country’s electricity supply restraints and to decrease the extensive use of diesel-based peaking electrical generators.
