The implementation of South Africa’s energy transition plan, backed by an $8.5 billion climate finance agreement from several major countries, is facing a delay of two to three months. The plan aims to transition the country away from coal and toward renewable energy sources.
Eskom, South Africa’s power utility, needs to triple its grid capacity within the next decade at a cost of over R100 billion to accommodate new-generation projects and put an end to load-shedding.
South Africa plans to expand its power transmission network by 600% over the next 10 years to address the ongoing power shortages and support its decarbonization goals.
Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, is facing a major problem with its transmission grid capacity to accommodate new wind and solar plants. The lack of funds and inadequate expansion has led to grid saturation in key regions, such as the Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape.
Critics of the Presidential Climate Commission’s draft report in South Africa argue that the push for renewable energy will put jobs at risk and may not fully meet the country’s energy needs.