Eskom's Komati power station
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), at its May 25 meeting, concurred with the draft Ministerial determination for the procurement of 344.5 MW of new generation capacity from solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage by State-owned Eskom.
The regulator concurred with the procurement of 75 MW of new generation capacity from solar PV at the Lethabo power station, in the Free State, and 19.5 MW of solar PV at Sere Wind Farm, in the Western Cape
Similarly, it concurred with the procurement of 100 MW of solar PV and the procurement of a 150 MW battery energy storage system at the Komati power station, in Mpumalanga.
Nersa also said the electricity procured will target grid connection as soon as reasonably possible and that the generation capacity must be procured by Eskom through one or more tendering procedures that are fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective.
Further, the regulator approved the National Free Basic Electricity rate of 172.76c/kWh for the 2023/24 municipal financial year, effective from July 1.