Wiktor Wise
South Africa has a large energy sector, being the largest economy in Africa. The country consumed 227 TWh of electricity in 2018, with coal providing 88% of production in 2017. The country's electricity is primarily produced by Eskom, a South African electricity public utility, which generates approximately 95% of electricity used in South Africa, as well as 45% of the electricity used in Africa. South Africa is aiming to shift away from coal in the electricity sector and towards renewable sources, with plans to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity Generation | 95% by Eskom, a state-owned power company |
| Electricity Sources | 83% from fossil fuels, 8% from solar, 6.6% from wind, hydropower, and solar power |
| Electricity Consumption | 195 TWh in 2023, a 4% decrease from 2022 |
| Electricity Demand | Rapidly growing, especially in emerging markets and developing countries |
| Electricity Trade | With SADC member nations |
| Electricity Infrastructure | Aging network infrastructure, requiring 8,000km of transmission infrastructure by 2030 |
| Electricity Goals | 33% renewable electricity by 2030, with 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity |
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What You'll Learn
Coal, the primary energy source
South Africa has a large energy sector, being the largest economy in Africa. In 2018, the country consumed 227 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity. The vast majority of South Africa's electricity is produced from coal, which provided 88% of production in 2017 and 80% in 2022. 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). Coal-fired power stations make up 83% of the nominal capacity mix generated by Eskom, the state-owned power company that generates approximately 95% of electricity used in South Africa and 45% of the electricity used in Africa.
Despite environmental concerns, coal will continue to provide the majority of South Africa's power for the next decade. South Africa is the world's 14th largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and coal-fired power is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. However, South Africa is planning to shift away from coal in the electricity sector. The country aims to decommission 34 GW of coal-fired power capacity by 2050.
South Africa has set ambitious targets for renewable energy sources. Through its Integrated Resource Plan, the South African government announced the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which aims to increase renewable power generation through private sector investment. The country aims to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030 and generate 77,834 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030, with new capacity coming significantly from renewable sources to meet emission reduction targets. The IRP envisages a total addition to electricity capacity of 29,500 MW by 2030, led by renewables, including 14,400 MW from wind and 6,000 MW from solar photovoltaic. South Africa already produces the most solar and wind energy by terawatt-hours in Africa.
While coal currently dominates the energy mix in South Africa, the country is taking steps to transition to renewable energy sources and reduce its reliance on coal-fired power.
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Nuclear power
South Africa's Koeberg nuclear power station, located in Cape Town, is the only commercial nuclear power plant on the African continent. It is operated by Eskom, a South African electricity public utility and the largest producer of electricity in Africa. Eskom generates about 95% of South Africa's electricity and over 40% of Africa's.
The Koeberg nuclear power station has two pressurized water reactors based on a French design and rated at 0.93 GW net power each (1.86 GW in total). Construction of the power station began in 1976, and Unit 1 was synchronized to the grid on 4 April 1984, followed by Unit 2 on 25 July 1985. The power station was originally located outside the metropolitan area, but urban growth has since exceeded expectations, and the station is now close to suburban housing. The reactors at the Koeberg nuclear power station are built on an aseismic raft designed to withstand a magnitude 7 earthquake at a focal distance of about 10 km.
In 2006, the South African government announced it was considering building a further conventional nuclear plant, possibly at Koeberg, to boost supplies in the Cape province. Numerous proposals have since been put forward, including a plan to double generating capacity to 80 GWe by 2025, with construction of 20 GWe of new nuclear capacity. This would increase nuclear power's contribution to electricity production from 5% to more than 25%.
In 2013, Necsa signed an agreement with Russia's NIAEP-Atomstroyexport and its subsidiary Nukem Technologies to develop a strategic partnership, including nuclear power plants and waste management, with financial assistance from Russia. The South African government has also invested in small modular reactors in the form of the pebble bed reactor design, although funding for this project was stopped in 2010.
South Africa aims to generate 77,834 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030, with a significant portion of this new capacity coming from renewable sources to meet emission reduction targets. While coal will continue to provide the majority of South Africa's power for the next decade, the share of renewables is expected to grow rapidly, with solar energy as the primary driver of this expansion.
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Renewable energy sources
South Africa has a large energy sector, being the largest economy in Africa. The country consumed 227 TWh of electricity in 2018, with the vast majority (88%) produced from coal. South Africa is the 7th largest coal producer in the world and coal-fired power stations made up 83% of the nominal capacity mix in 2018. However, the country is planning to shift away from coal in the electricity sector.
South Africa's renewable energy sources include solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal heat. Solar energy in South Africa is based on PV and CSP systems. The country receives an average of 2,500 hours of sunshine per year, with the furthest area in the west receiving the highest levels of solar radiation. The use of solar energy is driving the adoption of other renewable energy sources, and solar power production is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.
Wind power uses wind turbines to produce electricity, with wind farms ranging from 10 MW to over 100 MW. South Africa has the potential to generate 14,400 MW of wind power by 2030. Hydropower is another renewable energy source, with small hydropower projects contributing to the country's energy mix.
The South African government has implemented initiatives to promote renewable energy, such as the Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (REFIT) in 2009 and the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REI4P) in 2011. These programmes aim to reduce carbon-based power generation and increase the adoption of renewable energy sources. The government also plans to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030, with a target of generating 77,834 MW of electricity by that year.
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South Africa's electricity producer, Eskom
Eskom is a South African electricity public utility and the country's only electricity utility. It was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM). Eskom is the largest producer of electricity in Africa and is among the top utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and sales.
Eskom generates approximately 95% of the electricity used in South Africa, which amounts to about 45% of the electricity used in Africa. The company operates several notable power stations, including the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape Province, which is the only nuclear power plant in Africa. Other power stations operated by Eskom include the Matimba Power Station, Medupi Power Station in Lephalale, and the Kusile Power Station in Witbank.
Eskom has a significant role in South Africa's economy and energy sector. About 45% of all end users in South Africa receive their power directly from Eskom, while the remaining 55% is resold by redistributors, including municipalities. The company has faced financial challenges, with a debt of ZAR400.0 billion (USD21.8 billion) as of February 2023.
In recent years, Eskom has been taking steps towards renewable energy sources. In May 2025, the company invited tenders for constructing a pilot renewable green hydrogen facility, emphasizing its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Eskom also plans to introduce solar energy through the distribution of power to four power plants. Additionally, the South African government's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme aims to increase renewable power generation through private sector investment, with companies like Ampli Energy and EXSA establishing trading platforms for wheeled renewable energy.
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The future of South African electricity
South Africa has a large energy sector, being the largest economy in Africa. In 2018, the country consumed 227 TWh of electricity. The vast majority of South Africa's electricity is 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).
Despite environmental concerns, coal will continue to provide the majority of South Africa's power for the next decade, although the share from renewables will grow rapidly. Non-hydro renewables are predicted to develop faster than the market, with 8.7GW of additional renewable energy capacity planned to be installed between 2023 and 2032.
The South African government has set ambitious targets for renewable energy sources. Through its goals stated in the Integrated Resource Plan, the South African government announced the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which aims to increase renewable power generation through private sector investment. As a result, numerous companies have started trading platforms for wheeled renewable energy, including Ampli Energy and EXSA, with the aim of more stable pricing and supply, and increased market competition, within the country's energy sector.
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. The country also aims to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030 and achieve 33% renewable electricity by that year.
In summary, South Africa is taking steps towards a more sustainable energy future, with a focus on increasing renewable energy sources and reducing the country's reliance on coal. This transition is crucial for mitigating climate change and improving the health and wellbeing of South Africans.
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Frequently asked questions
Coal is the primary source of electricity in South Africa, providing 80% of the total system load.
Eskom, a state-owned power company, generates approximately 95% of electricity used in South Africa.
South Africa aims to generate 33% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The country also aims to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030, with a focus on wind and solar energy.
In 2022, renewable energy technologies (wind, solar PV, and CSP) provided 7.3% of the total energy mix in South Africa, with a total installed capacity of 6.2 GW.
