Ramokgopa unveils 9.6GW energy expansion plan

The government says it will prioritise the procurement of 9.6 gigawatts (GW) of battery storage and gas-to-power projects as part of its long-term electricity expansion plans, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced on Wednesday.

The move forms part of government’s strategy to expand generation capacity and improve grid reliability as Africa’s most industrialised economy transitions from its heavy reliance on coal-fired power stations.

In the first phase of the programme, the government plans to procure 4.6 GW of battery energy storage systems and 5 GW of gas-to-power capacity. Allocations for new wind and solar projects will be announced at a later stage, according to the minister.

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Focus on grid stability

South Africa plans to add more than 105 GW of new generation capacity by 2039 under its latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), with renewable energy expected to account for more than half of the new capacity.

Ramokgopa said expanded battery storage would help unlock renewable energy resources that are currently constrained by transmission bottlenecks.

South Africa currently has five battery storage projects with a combined capacity of 513 megawatts. The government believes a larger rollout of battery technology will improve the integration of wind and solar power into the national grid.

Gas remains key part of energy mix

The government is also advancing plans to introduce additional gas-fired generation capacity, with authorities currently evaluating bids from four shortlisted consortia for a 2 GW gas-to-power programme.

Gas is expected to play an important balancing role in the country’s future energy mix by providing dispatchable power when renewable energy generation is unavailable.

The latest IRP, released last year, made provision for 16 GW of gas-fired generation capacity by 2039, underlining the government’s intention to use gas as a transitional fuel while increasing renewable energy capacity.

The procurement drive marks one of the largest planned expansions of South Africa’s electricity infrastructure and signals the government’s commitment to combining storage, gas and renewables to meet future energy demand.

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