The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has unveiled its success in registering 124 new generation facilities during the third quarter (October to December) of the 2023/24 Financial Year. The cumulative capacity of these facilities stands at an impressive 605MW, with a total investment value of R7.8 billion.
The breakdown of the registered facilities reveals a strong inclination towards solar energy technologies. Solar PV dominates the list with 122 facilities, contributing 604MW to the total capacity. These facilities are spread across nine provinces, with the Western Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal leading in numbers.
Additionally, two facilities utilizing Solar PV with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) were registered in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, adding 1MW to the overall capacity.
However, concerns were raised by Mr Nhlanhla Gumede, the Regulator Member responsible for electricity regulation at NERSA, about the absence of storage in a significant number of registered facilities. He emphasized the importance of coupling variable energy source facilities with battery storage to mitigate the ‘California Duck Curve.’
The breakdown per province shows the Western Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal leading in the number of new facilities, while North West, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga top the charts in terms of installed capacity and investment value.
Notably, the North West Province generated the highest investment cost for the quarter, reaching R3.5 billion, driven by mining activities in the region.
Since the commencement of the registration regime in 2018, NERSA has successfully registered a total of 1087 generation facilities, marking a significant stride in South Africa’s journey towards a diverse and sustainable energy landscape.
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