Type | Capacity [MW] |
---|---|
Coal | |
OCGT | |
Wind | |
Hydro | |
Nuclear | |
Solar PV | |
Solar CSP | |
Biomass | |
Landfill gas | |
Total Capacity |
South Africa produced around 245,000 GWh of electricity in 2021. [1] [2] Most of this electricity is produced using coal and is consumed domestically. In 2022, 12,300 GWh were exported to Eswatini, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and other countries participating in the Southern African Power Pool. [3] In 2022, South Africa imported 10,800 GWh from the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Power Station in Mozambique via the 1,920 MW Cahora Bassa (HDVC) Power Transmission System. [4] [5]
Most power stations in South Africa are owned and operated by the state owned enterprise, Eskom. These plants account for 80% of all the electricity produced in South Africa and 45% of all electricity produced on the African continent. [6] [7] In terms of share of GDP in 2012, South Africa was the 4th largest investor in renewable power in the world after Uruguay, Mauritius and Costa Rica. [8]
The following is a list of electricity generating facilities within South Africa that are larger than 1 MW capacity. It only contains currently operational facilities and facilities under construction. The net power output in megawatts is listed, i.e. the maximum power the power station can deliver to the grid.
For notable facilities that are not operating or have been decommissioned see List of decommissioned power stations in South Africa.
South Africa is the seventh biggest coal producer in the world and has rich coal deposits concentrated in the north-east of the country and as such the majority of South Africa's coal-fired plants are located in the Mpumalanga province. Around 81% of South Africa's energy needs are directly derived from coal [9] and 81% of all coal consumed domestically goes towards electricity production. [10] Historically this has given South Africa access to cheap electricity, but it is also one of the leading reasons that the country is in the top 20 list of carbon dioxide emitting countries. [11] [12] [13]
Power plant | Province | Coordinates | Installed capacity (MW) | Date commissioned | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acacia Power Station | WC | 33°53′00″S18°32′08″E / 33.88328°S 18.53546°E | 171 | 1976 | Eskom | [42] 3x 57MW |
Ankerlig Power Station | WC | 33°35′32″S18°27′37″E / 33.5921°S 18.4602°E | 1,327 | 2007 | Eskom | [43] 4x 148MW 5x 147MW |
Gourikwa Power Station | WC | 34°10′00″S21°57′38″E / 34.1666°S 21.9606°E | 740 | 2007 | Eskom | [43] 5x 148MW |
Newcastle Cogeneration Plant | KZN | 27°47′08″S29°58′11″E / 27.7854446°S 29.9695866°E | 18 | 2007 | IPSA Group | [44] 1x 18MW |
Port Rex Power Station | EC | 33°01′43″S27°52′52″E / 33.02860°S 27.88106°E | 171 | 1976 | Eskom | [42] 3x 57MW |
Avon Peaking Power | KZN | 29°25′10″S31°09′41″E / 29.419567°S 31.161514°E | 670 | 2016 | Engie Energy | [45] [46] [47] 4x 167.5MW |
Dedisa Peaking Power | EC | 33°44′33″S25°40′22″E / 33.742364°S 25.672715°E | 335 | 2015 | Engie Energy | R3.5 billion (2015) [45] [46] [48] [49] 2x 167.5MW |
Total: | 3,432 | 27 OCGT units |
Power plant | Province | Installed capacity (MW) | Commissioned |
---|---|---|---|
Richards Bay Gas Power Plant | KZN | 3000 | 2028 |
Karpowership | KZN, EC, WC | 1220 | 2023 Q3 (2 x 225) Coega (2 x 225) Richards Bay (2 x 160) Saldanha Bay |
Total | 4220 |
For a more complete list of hydro power stations from large to pico size, see the African hydropower database.
Power plant | Province | Coordinates | Installed capacity (MW) | Date commissioned (planned) | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ingula Pumped Storage | KZN | 25°07′51″S29°49′24″E / 25.1308986°S 29.8232463°E | 1,332 | 2017 | Eskom | [29] [50] [51] |
Drakensberg Pumped Storage | FS | 28°16′50″S29°35′12″E / 28.2805°S 29.5868°E | 1,000 | 1981 | Eskom | [52] |
Palmiet Pumped Storage | WC | 400 | 1988 | Eskom | ||
Steenbras Pumped Storage | WC | 34°9′9.07″S18°53′56.64″E / 34.1525194°S 18.8990667°E | 180 | 1979 | City of Cape Town | |
Total: | 2,912 |
For a more complete list of hydro power stations from large to pico size, see the African hydropower database.
Power plant | Province | Coordinates | Installed capacity (MW) | Date commissioned (planned) | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cahora Bassa Dam | Tete, Mozambique | 15°35′09″S32°42′17″E / 15.5857°S 32.70477°E | 1,500 | 1974 | Government of Mozambique | Imported through SAPP |
Gariep | FS/EC | 30°37′25″S25°30′23″E / 30.62361°S 25.50639°E | 360 | 1971 | Eskom | |
Van der Kloof | NC | 29°59′32″S24°43′54″E / 29.99222°S 24.73167°E | 240 | 1977 | Eskom | |
Collywobbles / Mbashe | EC | 32°00′41″S28°34′44″E / 32.01128°S 28.57893°E | 42 | Eskom | ||
Neusberg | NC | 32°00′02″S28°34′59″E / 32.0004882°S 28.5830082°E | 10 | Kakamas Hydro Electric Power | ||
Second Falls | EC | 31°41′10″S28°53′00″E / 31.686164°S 28.883307°E | 11 | Eskom | ||
First Falls | EC | 31°35′58″S28°49′07″E / 31.59958°S 28.81858°E | 6 | Eskom | ||
Deelkraal I | GP | 5.04 | Private | |||
Western Deep Level 45 | GP | 4.79 | Private | |||
Saaiplaas | MP | 4.59 | Private | |||
Kloof 1 | GP | 4.52 | Private | |||
East Driefontein | GP | 4.48 | Private | |||
Stortemelk | FS | 4.47 | Private | |||
Vaal Reef 3 | NW/FS | 4.33 | Private | |||
President Steyn | GP | 4.15 | Private | |||
Kruisvallei Hydro | FS | 4 | Private | |||
Merino Power Station | FS | 28°21′49.47″S28°21′42.21″E / 28.3637417°S 28.3617250°E | 4 | 2010 | Bethlehem Hydro | |
Bethlehem hydro Merino plant | FS | 4 | Private | |||
Elandsrand | GP | 3.83 | Private | |||
Western Deep Level 55 | GP | 3.78 | Private | |||
Vaal Reefs 9 | NW/FS | 3.46 | Private | |||
Bethlehem hydro Sol Plaatje plant | GP | 3 | Private | |||
Sol Plaatje Power Station | FS | 28°12′58.78″S28°21′49.00″E / 28.2163278°S 28.3636111°E | 3 | 2009 | Bethlehem Hydro | |
Western Area 1 | GP | 2.97 | Private | |||
Western Deep Level 70 | GP | 2.67 | Private | |||
Lydenburg | WC | 2.6 | Private | |||
Friedenheim Hydroelectric Power Station | MP | 25°27′05″S30°58′54″E / 25.45142°S 30.98157°E | 2.5 | 1987 | Freidenheim Irrigation Board | |
Ncora | WC | 2.4 | Private | |||
Elandsrand Level 53 | GP | 2.39 | Private | |||
Geduld 2 | WC | 2.39 | Private | |||
Kloof 4 | WC | 2.28 | Private | |||
Ncora Dam Ncora Power Station | EC | 31°47′15″S27°40′1″E / 31.78750°S 27.66694°E | 2.1 | Eskom | ||
Lydenburg Hydroelectric Power Station | MP | 24°59′52″S30°26′21″E / 24.9978°S 30.43924°E | 2.1 | 2014 | Thaba Chweu Local Municipality | |
Elandsrand Level 71 | GP | 2.01 | Private | |||
Friedenheim | WC | 2 | Private | |||
L Ormarins upper | WC | 2 | Private | |||
Geduld 1 | GP | 1.98 | Private | |||
Vaal Reefs 1 | NW/FS | 1.86 | Private | |||
Western Deep | GP | 1.72 | Private | |||
Vaal Reefs 2 | NW/FS | 1.67 | Private | |||
President Brand | GP | 1.62 | Private | |||
Vaal Reef 4 | NW/FS | 1.62 | Private | |||
Kinross | WC | 1.61 | Private | |||
Faure Water Treatment Plant | GP | 1.48 | Private | |||
Elandsrand | GP | 1.47 | Private | |||
Western Area 2 | GP | 1.34 | Private | |||
Winkelhaak | WC | 1.32 | Private | |||
Bakenkop Hydroelectric Power Station | MP | 27°5′7.8″S30°56′44.7″E / 27.085500°S 30.945750°E | 1 | 1950 | Piet Retief | |
Total: | 2,283 |
The two reactors at Koeberg are (as of 2017) the only commercial nuclear power plants on the African continent [53] and accounts for around 5% of South Africa's electricity production. [6] Low and intermediate waste is disposed of at Vaalputs Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility in the Northern Cape.
Power plant | Province | Coordinates | Capacity (MW) | Annual output (GWh) | Capacity factor % | Date commissioned | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Koeberg Nuclear Power Station | WC | 33°40′35.2″S18°25′55.37″E / 33.676444°S 18.4320472°E | 1,860 | 13,668 | 84 | 1984 | [53] [54] |
As of 2023, South Africa has 37 operating wind farms with a total installed capacity of about 3,560 MW.
The Department of Energy (DOE) implemented the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). This is a tender process consisting of "Rounds" where the cheapest tariff and most competitive Economic Development score is awarded a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Eskom (the state-owned utility) as the Off-taker. The National Treasury has fully underwritten the PPAs. The South African Department of Energy allocated 634 MW of wind capacity in the – bid window 1. [55] [56] [57]
In bid window 2, 562.5 MW capacity was allocated. [58] [59] In bid window 3, 787 MW were allocated. [60] In bid window 4, 676 MW was awarded. [61] [62] In bid window 4 (additional), 687 MW was added. [63]
Concentrated solar power uses molten salt energy storage in a tower or trough configurations.
The South African Department of Energy allocated 150 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme – bid window 1. [55] [56] [57] In the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme: window 2, a capacity of 50 MW was allocated [58] [59] In the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme: window 3, a capacity of 200 MW was allocated. [80] In an additional bid allocation, bid window 3.5, a further 200 MW was allocated.
The South African Department of Energy allocated 631.53 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme – bid window 1. [55] [56] [57] In the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme bid window 2, a capacity of 417.1 MW was allocated. [58] [59] [103] In bid window 3, 435 MW was awarded. [60] In bid window 4, 415 MW was awarded. [61] In bid window 4(+), 398 MW was added. [104]
Hybrid power station | Community | Coordinates | Capacity | Completed | Owner | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oya Hybrid Power Station [202] | Breede Valley, Western Cape | 32°49′23″S20°17′57″E / 32.82306°S 20.29917°E | 155 MW (Solar) 242 MWh (Bess) 86 MW (Wind) | 2026 Expected | Oya Energy | [203] |
Power Plant | Province | Installed capacity (MW) (planned) | Coordinates | Date commissioned (expected) | Operator | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joburg Landfill Gas to Electricity - Marie Louise | GP | 4.76 | -26.19172 | 27.88122 | 2014–2016 | ENER-G Systems Joburg (Pty) Ltd | |
Joburg Landfill Gas to Electricity - Goudkoppies | GP | 4.04 | -26.28223 | 27.92717 | 2014–2016 | ||
Joburg Landfill Gas to Electricity - Linbro Park | GP | 3.17 | -26.09375 | 28.12133 | 2014–2016 | ||
Joburg Landfill Gas to Electricity - Ennerdale | GP | 1.03 | -26.36947 | 27.83272 | 2014–2016 | ||
Joburg Landfill Gas to Electricity - Robinson Deep | GP | 5 | -26.23335 | 28.04073 | 2014–2016 | ||
Mariannhill Landfill Gas to Electricity | KZN | 1 | 29°50.707′S30°50.180′E / 29.845117°S 30.836333°E | 2006 | eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality | [204] [205] [206] | |
Bisasar Road Landfill Gas to Electricity | KZN | 6.5 | 2009 | [204] [205] | |||
Total: | 25.5 |
Power plant | Province | Installed capacity MW (planned) | Annual output GWh (expected) | Date commissioned (expected) | Operator | Latitude | Longitude | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PetroSA Biogas Project | 4,2 | (32) | 2007 | PetroSA | 34°10′26″S21°59′05″E / 34.173811°S 21.984621°E | |||
Ngodwana Energy Project | 25 | (198) | Q3 2018 | Sappi | 25°34′41″S30°39′32″E / 25.578097°S 30.658842°E | |||
Mkuze | (17.5) | (130) | 2023–2024 | |||||
Umfolozi Sugar Mill | KZN | 4.5 | Umfolozi Sugar Mill Pty (Ltd) | -28.442732 | 32.184034 | |||
Tongaat Felixton | KZN | 9 | Tongaat Hulett Sugar SA Ltd | -28.834445 | 31.890996 | |||
Komati Mill | MP | 8 | TSB Sugar International | -25.5544 | 31.866333 | |||
Busby Renewables Biomass Project | MP | 5 | -26.81201 | 30.44063 | ||||
George Biomass to Energy Project | WC | 5 | -33.99493 | 22.45337 | ||||
Tongaat Amatikulu | KZN | 5 | Tongaat Hulett Sugar SA Ltd | -29.045193 | 31.525656 | |||
Malelane Mill | MP | 4 | TSB Sugar International | -25.275112 | 31.333889 | |||
Illovo Eston | KZN | 2 | Illovo Sugar (South Africa) Ltd | -26.224674 | 28.187927 | |||
Total: | 71.7 |
Department of Energy Data Portal - http://redis.energy.gov.za/power-producers/
Eskom Hld SOC Ltd or Eskom is a South African electricity public utility. Eskom was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) (Afrikaans: Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie (EVKOM)). Eskom represents South Africa in the Southern African Power Pool. The utility is the largest producer of electricity in Africa, and was among the top utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and sales. It is the largest of South Africa's state owned enterprises. Eskom operates a number of notable power stations, including Matimba Power Station and Medupi Power Station in Lephalale, Kusile Power Station in Witbank, Kendal Power Station, and Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape Province, the only nuclear power plant in Africa.
Many countries and territories have installed significant solar power capacity into their electrical grids to supplement or provide an alternative to conventional energy sources. Solar power plants use one of two technologies:
Solar power is a major contributor to electricity supply in Australia. As of September 2024, Australia's over 3.92 million solar PV installations had a combined capacity of 37.8 GW photovoltaic (PV) solar power. In 2019, 59 solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 2,881 MW were either under construction, constructed or due to start construction having reached financial closure. Solar accounted for 12.4% of Australia's total electrical energy production in 2021.
India's solar power installed capacity was 92.11 GWAC as of 30 September 2024. India is the third largest producer of solar power globally.
A feed-in tariff is a policy mechanism designed to accelerate investment in renewable energy technologies by offering long-term contracts to renewable energy producers. This means promising renewable energy producers an above-market price and providing price certainty and long-term contracts that help finance renewable energy investments. Typically, FITs award different prices to different sources of renewable energy in order to encourage the development of one technology over another. For example, technologies such as wind power and solar PV are awarded a higher price per kWh than tidal power. FITs often include a "digression": a gradual decrease of the price or tariff in order to follow and encourage technological cost reductions.
Solar power includes solar farms as well as local distributed generation, mostly on rooftops and increasingly from community solar arrays. In 2023, utility-scale solar power generated 164.5 terawatt-hours (TWh), or 3.9% of electricity in the United States. Total solar generation that year, including estimated small-scale photovoltaic generation, was 238 TWh.
Concentrated solar power systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight into a receiver. Electricity is generated when the concentrated light is converted to heat, which drives a heat engine connected to an electrical power generator or powers a thermochemical reaction.
Copperton was a mining town in the central Karoo region of South Africa. As a copper and zinc-mining area, Copperton saw its heyday between 1970 and the end of the 20th century, when it housed about 3,000 workers and their families; amenities included a school and recreation facilities, including a golf course.
South Africa has a large energy sector, being the third-largest economy in Africa. The country consumed 227 TWh of electricity in 2018. The vast majority of South Africa's electricity was produced from coal, with the fuel responsible for 88% of production in 2017. South Africa is the 7th largest coal producer in the world. As of July 2018, South Africa had a coal power generation capacity of 39 gigawatts (GW). South Africa is the world's 14th largest emitter of greenhouse gases. South Africa is planning to shift away from coal in the electricity sector and the country produces the most solar and wind energy by terawatt-hours in Africa. The country aims to decommission 34 GW of coal-fired power capacity by 2050. It also aims to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030. South Africa aims to generate 77,834 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030, with new capacity coming significantly from renewable sources to meet emission reduction targets. Through its goals stated in the Integrated Resource Plan, it announced the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which aims to increase renewable power generation through private sector investment.
A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, solar farm, or solar power plant, is a large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power system designed for the supply of merchant power. They are different from most building-mounted and other decentralized solar power because they supply power at the utility level, rather than to a local user or users. Utility-scale solar is sometimes used to describe this type of project.
Solar power in South Africa includes photovoltaics (PV) as well as concentrated solar power (CSP). As of July 2024, South Africa had 2,287 MW of installed utility-scale PV solar power capacity in its grid, in addition to 5,791 MW of rooftop solar and 500 MW of CSP. Installed capacity is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.
Solar power in Morocco is enabled by the country having one of the highest rates of solar insolation among other countries— about 3,000 hours per year of sunshine but up to 3,600 hours in the desert. Morocco has launched one of the world’s largest solar energy projects costing an estimated $9 billion. The aim of the project was to create 2,000 megawatts of solar generation capacity by 2020. The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN), a public-private venture, was established to lead the project. The first plant, Ouarzazate Solar Power Station, was commissioned in 2016.
Solar power in Chile is an increasingly important source of energy. Total installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Chile reached 8.36 GW in 2023. Solar energy provided 19.9% of national electricity generation in Chile in 2023, compared to less than 0.1% in 2013.
The Jasper Solar Energy Project is a 96 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station, located 120 km west of Kimberley, in South Africa's Northern Cape. Construction of the project was completed in October 2014 and it is fully operational to power up to 80,000 homes.
KaXu Solar One (KXSO) is a concentrated solar thermal plant located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, NE from the town of Pofadder, Khâi-Ma Local Municipality. KaXu Solar One is a 100 megawatt (MW) parabolic trough plant and covers an area of 1,100 hectares.
Redstone Solar Thermal Power (RSTP) is a solar power tower with molten salt energy storage, located in Postmasburg, near Kimberley, in the Northern Cape Region of South Africa. Redstone will have a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW) to deliver power to 200,000 people and was awarded in bid window 3.5 of the REIPPP at a strike price of 122.3 ZAR/KWh including time of day pricing in 2015. The project was initially based on the technology of now bankrupt Solar Reserve, but was delayed for several years because the PPA was not signed by Eskom until 2018. After the project was revived the plant is now under construction and the technology will be provided by Brightsource and John Cockerill, as demonstrated in the Noor Energy 1 project in the UAE.
De Aar Solar Power is located 6 km outside the town of De Aar in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The facility is based on over 100 hectares of Emathanjeni Municipal land, and comprises 167,580 solar (PV) panels. De Aar Solar Power supplies Eskom with 85,458 MWh of renewable electrical energy per year; enough to power more than 19 000 average South African households.
Renewable energy in South Africa is energy generated in South Africa from renewable resources, those that naturally replenish themselves—such as sunlight, wind, tides, waves, rain, biomass, and geothermal heat. Renewable energy focuses on four core areas: electricity generation, air and water heating/cooling, transportation, and rural energy services. The energy sector in South Africa is an important component of global energy regimes due to the country's innovation and advances in renewable energy. South Africa's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is ranked as moderate and its per capita emission rate is higher than the global average. Energy demand within the country is expected to rise steadily and double by 2025.
The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme is an initiative by the South African government aimed at increasing electricity capacity through private sector investment in solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar, onshore wind power, small hydro, landfill gas, biomass, and biogas. As of 2023, a total of 123 projects have been awarded to the private sector. Private sector investment totalling R256 billion has been committed to the REIPPPP. Four of the six Bid Windows have come online, totalling 6200 MW of installed capacity.
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