South African Municipalities Move To Secure Solar Power And Cut Reliance On Eskom

Two municipalities in South Africa are taking major steps to reduce their dependence on the national power utility, Eskom, by planning to source solar power directly from private producers. The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and the Swartland Municipality have both moved forward with plans to secure their own renewable energy supplies, showing a clear shift toward local and sustainable power generation.

The Swartland Municipality in the Western Cape has announced its intention to sign a 20-year power purchase agreement for 10 megawatts of solar photovoltaic electricity. For this project, the municipality has set aside around 30 hectares of its own land in Malmesbury, where a new solar power plant will be built. According to the municipality, technical and financial studies have already been completed and have shown that the project is feasible and offers better value compared to traditional electricity supply options. The chosen site has low environmental sensitivity, which means the project does not need a long and complex environmental approval process. This has allowed the municipality to fast-track the development. A formal request for proposals from independent power producers is expected to be issued in early 2026.

At the same time, eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal is planning a much larger renewable energy programme. The metro has received approval from the national government to procure 400 megawatts of new electricity generation capacity. Out of this total, 100 megawatts will come specifically from solar energy projects. This move forms part of eThekwini’s wider plan to strengthen its energy security and reduce the impact of power shortages and grid instability. By producing some of its own electricity, the municipality aims to protect essential services and businesses from frequent power disruptions.

eThekwini has stated that generating power locally will lead to significant financial savings over the long term. Over the life of the power supply agreements, the municipality expects to save billions of rands. In addition to cost savings, the solar projects are expected to create thousands of jobs, both during construction and once the plants are operational. These jobs will support local communities and help grow the regional economy.

Together, these developments show a growing trend across South Africa, where municipalities are turning to solar energy to gain more control over their electricity supply. By signing long-term agreements with private developers, local governments are working to secure stable power prices, improve reliability, and support the country’s transition toward cleaner and more decentralized energy systems.