South Africa's Independent Transmission Projects Programme: Key progress and future plans

SOUTH Africa's Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) and National Treasury have announced significant strides in the Independent Transmission Projects (ITP) Programme, a public-private partnership aimed at revolutionising the nation’s transmission infrastructure.

- PHILIPPA LARKIN

The initiative seeks to unlock billions in investment, accelerate economic growth, and support the country’s energy transition by modernizing its over-stretched power grid.

According to the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) and Eskom’s Transmission Development Plan (TDP 2024-2033), over 14 000 km of new transmission lines are required within the next decade to accommodate an additional 53 GW of generation capacity.

With the current grid expansion lagging at an inadequate pace, the government aims to construct at least 1 400 km of lines annually to ensure energy security and economic stability.

"Government is acting deliberately, and decisively to partner with the private sector to assist the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) to accelerate the rollout of the transmission infrastructure to enable economic growth and the addition of the renewable energy capacity," DEE and Treasury said in a statement on Friday.