South Africa approves 860MW of private power 

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved generation licenses for five preferred bidders from Bid Window 6, allowing them to add 860MW of capacity through photovoltaic solar power plants.  

Three of the sites will be in the North West province, while the remaining two will be in the Free State. The approval comes as transmission grids in the Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape are nearing capacity, leading to a focus on developing independent power producers (IPPs) in other provinces.  

Interest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal for IPP projects is particularly weak, with solar resources in the Northern Cape being more favourable. 

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