Electricity
Electricity is a form of energy resulting from the flow of electric charge, widely used for power generation, transmission and distribution to industrial, commercial and residential consumers. It is a fundamental utility that underpins modern economies, enabling manufacturing, transport, communications, healthcare and domestic activities. Electricity is generated from diverse sources including coal, natural gas, nuclear fission, hydropower, wind, solar photovoltaic panels and other renewables. The electricity industry encompasses generation companies, transmission system operators, distribution networks and retail suppliers, often operating under regulatory frameworks that balance investment, reliability and affordability. In many African markets, state-owned utilities dominate generation and distribution, though independent power producers and private participation are growing. Electricity supply reliability is a critical economic indicator; shortages and loadshedding can constrain growth, disrupt production and raise costs. Demand for electricity in sub-Saharan Africa is rising with urbanisation, industrialisation and expanding access, yet generation capacity and grid infrastructure often lag behind need. Tariff structures, cost-reflective pricing and subsidy reform remain contentious policy issues across the continent. The transition to lower-carbon electricity generation is reshaping investment, regulation and technology choices worldwide. Electricity markets vary from vertically integrated monopolies to unbundled, competitive structures with wholesale trading and retail choice.
Electricity Updates
Mashatile warns of 'new generation of challenges' as AI, unemployment impact S African workers 
By: Thabi Shomolekae 14th October 2026 Deputy President Paul Mashatile declared on Wednesday that while South Africa celebrates its progress in overcoming apartheid, the country and the... →
Growing debt burden poses significant risk to developing nations, G24 chair says
By: Reuters 13th October 2026 The debt vulnerabilities of many developing economies are a "major barrier" to inclusive growth, the chair of the Group of 24 nations said on... →
South Africa's electricity market is being rewired at pace, and so are the rules of project finance
12th October 2026 The Department of Electricity and Energy has published the Electricity Sector Market Transformation Position Paper, 2026 (the Position Paper), the... →
Eskom Holdings launches strategic partners selection process for up to 6GW utility-scale renewable energy projects
9th October 2026 Eskom Holdings has reached a further milestone in delivering Eskom Green, the utility-scale renewable energy business that aims to accelerate the... →
Mining industry focused on creating sustainable State capacity to drive development, Joburg Indaba hears
By: Schalk Burger 7th October 2026 South Africa's mining industry, which has developed infrastructure to support mines and their surrounding communities, is working with government... →
Senegal power cuts highlight need to embrace gas, minister says
By: Reuters 2nd October 2026 Power cuts in Senegal in September have underscored the need to embrace gas as a means of electricity generation, the West African country's energy... →
Reappointed Nyati links Eskom unbundling to board’s new top priority of electricity affordability
By: Terence Creamer 25th September 2026 Eskom chairperson Dr Mteto Nyati, whose term has been extended by a further three years, says the board’s top priority has shifted from... →
What South Africa’s major parties are promising voters in the 2026 local elections
By: Africa Check 25th September 2026 South Africans vote in local government elections on 4 November 2026. From water and electricity to refuse collection and roads, local government... →
Public call for submissions: systemic investigation into the human rights impact of delayed development of informal settlements in the North West province
23rd September 2026 The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/the Commission) has initiated a systemic investigation into the human rights impact of delayed... →
Infrastructure Vandalism as a Human Rights Crisis: Copper Cable and Scrap Metal Theft, Regulatory and Enforcement Gaps, and the Erosion of Socio-Economic Rights
21st September 2026 The brief calls for infrastructure vandalism and illicit metals trading to be understood not only as criminal and economic concerns, but as matters... →
