South Africa is set to prioritise 9.6 gigawatts of battery energy storage and gas to power capacity as the government moves to strengthen electricity supply and improve grid flexibility under its latest power planning framework. Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the first Section 34 determination under the Integrated Resource Plan 2025 will allocate 4,600MW to battery energy storage systems and 5,000MW to gas to power projects. Reuters reports that the move forms part of South Africa’s long term strategy to build a more reliable electricity system, with the technologies expected to provide greater flexibility and dependable power as the country increases its use of variable renewable energy.
The new procurement programme is designed to address growing pressure on the national grid, particularly electricity curtailment, where available generation cannot be fully accommodated because of network constraints or periods of excess supply. The Department of Electricity and Energy said the determination will open new public procurement rounds through the Independent Power Producer Office, with Eskom also eligible to participate. The government said a subsequent determination will address additional wind and solar capacity, including hybrid projects combining renewable generation with battery storage, as well as pumped storage. South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan 2025 identifies energy storage as increasingly important as renewable generation expands, while its gas strategy calls for 6,000MW of gas capacity by 2030.
The investment pipeline could create significant opportunities for independent power producers, infrastructure developers, battery manufacturers, gas suppliers and international financiers as South Africa seeks to modernise its electricity system. Eskom is already advancing a planned 3,000MW gas to power project at Richards Bay, supported by a long term LNG arrangement with Zululand Energy Terminal, while the utility is also developing an Eskom Green platform focused on renewable energy and battery storage projects. CNBC Africa reported in June that the Richards Bay project is intended to provide flexible generation capable of complementing renewable power, while government officials have positioned gas as a transitional source of dispatchable electricity. The latest 9.6GW determination therefore signals a stronger focus on technologies that can stabilise the grid while South Africa continues expanding renewable energy and developing local manufacturing across its emerging battery and energy infrastructure value chains.
