The Draft Revised Electricity Pricing Policy is open for public comment until 20 September 2026, introducing itemised billing and a 10-year price forecast but uncertainty over free basic electricity for poor households.
Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina, represented South Africa at the 7th Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting in Japan on Monday, 15 September 2025, addressing the forum on behalf of Minister Prof Blade Nzimande. The meeting, held under the theme ‘Demand Creation’, ran alongside the Ministerial Meeting...
President Cyril Ramaphosa has endorsed the Phase I report on establishing an independent Transmission System Operator (TSO), launching Phase II of Eskom’s transmission unbundling with a target completion date of 31 December 2027. The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) issued a request for proposals for transaction advisers on 3...
The Ditsobotla Local Municipality signed a formal Distribution Agency Agreement (DAA) with Eskom on 24 July 2026, marking a significant step to address the municipality’s outstanding debt of approximately R1.7 billion. The agreement enables the state-owned power utility to assume direct control over electricity revenue collection and technical management within...
The United Kingdom government has announced that it will remove Value Added Tax (VAT) from domestic electricity bills effective from 1 October 2026, as Brent crude oil prices reached $100 per barrel on 23 July 2026. This fiscal intervention follows a 13% increase in the Ofgem energy price cap on...
Electricity supply has been restored to residents and businesses in eastern Johannesburg following a power outage triggered by a veld fire at the Sebenza substation. Utility teams completed emergency repairs to the damaged infrastructure throughout July 2026 to bring the critical facility back online. Infrastructure Repair And Operational Status The...
Eskom has officially secured final approvals under Section 54(2) of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) to establish ‘Eskom Green’, a new, wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to scaling up renewable energy generation. The entity aims to deploy a pipeline of up to 32 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy and storage projects...
Eskom has successfully removed more than 1.1 million customers from its load reduction schedules, marking a significant milestone in the state-owned power utility’s ongoing initiative to stabilise local electricity distribution networks. The programme has seen 545 individual network feeders removed from restrictive scheduling after infrastructure investments and community interventions were...
Eskom board chairman Mteto Nyati and Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busisiwe Mavuso have engaged in a public dispute regarding the future ownership of South Africa’s electricity transmission grid. The confrontation follows ongoing tensions over the unbundling of the state utility and the government’s commitment to creating an independent...
Municipal authorities have confirmed that electricity has been fully restored to the Boland region, marking the successful conclusion of extensive recovery operations following devastating storms that struck in mid-May 2026. The restoration of the electrical grid is a critical milestone for the recovery of the Breede Valley and local Boland...
South Africans face a significant increase in the cost of living as Eskom electricity tariffs for direct customers are set to rise by 12.74% effective 1 July 2026. The hike was formally approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) as a component of the Multi-Year Price Determination...
South Africa has officially begun the transition from a state-dominated monopoly to a competitive, multi-buyer electricity market following the signing of the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Act into law on 16 August 2024. This legislative shift aims to dismantle the long-standing model that saw Eskom manage all generation, transmission, and...
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global energy transit, officially reopened to commercial traffic on 19 June 2026. While the resumption of movement brings a measure of relief to international logistics, analysts warn that the underlying geopolitical instability continues to cast a shadow over energy security. Market...
South African consumers face varying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices based on geographic location due to a regulated Zonal Pricing system that accounts for transport and distribution expenses. While the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources adjusts prices monthly based on global crude oil trends and the Rand/USD exchange rate,...
A significant development in South Africa’s renewable energy sector has triggered fresh questions over governance and potential conflicts of interest. Mulilo Energy, a white-owned company chaired by Jan Oberholzer, the former Chief Operating Officer of Eskom, has emerged as one of the chief beneficiaries in the government’s third bid window...
On the morning of Saturday, 23 November, hundreds of Eskom prepaid electricity customers rose early to queue at vending sites, eager to upgrade their meters before the looming deadline. Many reported arriving as early as 3 a.m. to secure a place at the front of the line. The urgency stems...
The City of Cape Town has announced that an essential interruption to the electricity supply will take place in several areas on Friday, 6 September, as part of scheduled maintenance work. This temporary disruption is necessary to ensure ongoing reliability and safety in electricity distribution across the affected regions. Residents...
South African consumers may face an alarming increase in electricity costs if Eskom’s proposal to raise tariffs by up to 44% is approved. The state-owned utility company has submitted an application that could see the new electricity tariff implemented by April 2025. However, this potential hike has triggered significant pushback...
South Africa’s electricity landscape is set for significant transformation as the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill, signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, introduces sweeping reforms aimed at restructuring the country’s electricity sector. These changes are expected to foster increased competition, drive down energy costs, and attract investment in new generation...
Recent trends in international oil prices have shown a decline over the past week. However, this change comes too late to significantly affect South Africa’s fuel prices for August. The latest unaudited data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) suggests that only minor reductions in fuel prices can be expected...
Eskom has announced the implementation of load reduction measures in several regions due to network overloading, coinciding with the onset of a series of cold fronts sweeping across South Africa. The power utility clarified that load reduction differs from load shedding, emphasizing that there remains sufficient generating capacity to meet...
Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Minister of Electricity, has been prompted to provide detailed explanations on Eskom’s operational strategies, particularly concerning their avoidance of load shedding and their reported extensive use of diesel fuel. Concerns have arisen after it was disclosed that Eskom, South Africa’s primary energy provider, has incurred a massive...
In a move that has raised concerns among South Africans, Eskom has announced a tariff increase of 12.74% for its customers, a decision that comes at a time when the country is grappling with persistent power outages and escalating electricity bills. Set to take effect from April 2024 through March...
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has openly criticized the recent passage of the Electricity Amendment Regulation Bill by the National Assembly. This legislative move is set to initiate a significant transformation within Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, by introducing a competitive environment for electricity trading. SAFTU’s...
In the face of persistent power outages that have significantly hindered its economic growth, South Africa is embracing a forward-looking approach spearheaded by its nuclear scientists. These visionaries are developing a new wave of compact nuclear reactors, with ambitions that extend beyond mitigating the country’s energy shortfall. They aim to...
Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned electricity company, has announced the commencement of a load limiting pilot project in Bedford, located in the Eastern Cape region. This move follows the successful application of the strategy in Adelaide, another town within the same province. Mbulelo Yedwa, Eskom’s Cape Coastal Cluster General Manager, remarked,...
In the early hours of Saturday, beyond the stroke of midnight, Eskom, South Africa’s primary electricity public utility, disclosed a significant shift in its load management strategy. The utility has taken the decision to elevate its load shedding protocol to Stage 6 on an indefinite basis. This development follows closely...
In the latest episode of Undictated, a platform for robust debate, the focus shifts to the contentious issue of nuclear energy in South Africa. The program juxtaposes two contrasting perspectives, continuing a critical dialogue on the nation’s energy future. Last week, Kevin Mileham voiced concerns, labeling the proposed nuclear plant...
