The Portfolio Committee on Energy on Thursday said it had adopted the long-awaited Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) Bill, but the process reaching this point had revealed the need for the restructuring of the electricity sector.
The adoption of the amended Bill paved the way for the establishment of an ISMO as a State-owned entity.
This would enable the provision of an independent system operation to ensure the “safe, secure and efficient” operation of the integrated power system, the trading of electricity at wholesale level and other related activities.
Committee chairperson Sisa Njikelana said the committee aimed to ensure a favourable environment for the ISMO to operate and had tabled several recommendations to this end, adding that efforts on the restructuring of the entire electricity sector be “addressed as matter of urgency”.
He also suggested that a due diligence study be undertaken to determine the feasibility and implications of the transfer of transmission assets and a final report be submitted to the National Assembly by November.
Further, a cost benefit analysis of incorporating the transmission assets into ISMO, as well as establishing a transmission system operator, should be undertaken.