Despite ongoing loadshedding, President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to highlight some of the implementation progress under the Energy Action Plan (EAP), which marked its first anniversary in late July, including a doubling of rooftop solar installations.

The President’s weekly newsletter coincided with the release of a one-year progress report on the EAP, which covers developments under the plan’s five pillars, which include: fixing Eskom and improving the availability of existing supply; enabling and accelerating private investment in generation capacity; fast-tracking the procurement of new generation and storage capacity; unleashing investment by businesses and households into rooftop solar; and transforming the electricity sector to achieve long-term energy security.

“One of the most important contributions to the EAP has been the uptake by households and businesses of rooftop solar,” Ramaphosa writes.

The report itself states that the amount of rooftop solar capacity in South Africa has increased to more than 4 000 MW, which it claims is double the level it was a year ago.

“New tax incentives and innovative financing mechanisms are helping to drive a boom in rooftop solar, bringing down loadshedding significantly,” the report asserts.

The regulatory changes implemented under the EAP are also highlighted, with the report arguing that these have opened the space for private investment in large-scale electricity generation projects for the first time.

“Hundreds of projects are now being developed across the country, without needing any money from government. These projects will make the biggest difference in bringing an end to loadshedding, while also helping to shift South Africa towards cheaper, greener energy sources.”

The President reiterates that the pipeline of such projects currently stands at 10 000 MW and states that some of the projects will be connected to the grid by year-end.

Also emphasised are the interventions being made to improve the performance of the Eskom fleet, with Ramaphosa writing that unplanned losses have been reduced to less than 16 000 MW in the last two months, from more than 18 000 MW prior to that.

He also says return-to-service projects under way at Kusile and Medupi power stations should add 3 000 MW by year-end.

Notwithstanding serious delays to the public procurement of new generation capacity, both the President and the report argue that progress is being made to procure new renewables and gas-to-power generators, as well as battery storage.

Ramaphosa also writes that Eskom has unlocked close to 400 MW from companies with extra available capacity, and that a further 600 MW is currently in the contracting process.

“We have sourced an additional 400 MW from Cahora Bassa in Mozambique,” he adds.