South Africa to embrace off-grid generation
Africa’s richest nation will resort to allowing industry to generate its own power, to relieve pressure on beleaguered state utility Eskom amid load-shedding crisis
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly stated that his government will facilitate the generation of power by private firms, and even households, to relieve pressure on the national grid during ongoing periodic load-shedding and blackouts. Ramaphosa heard from business leaders at the Business Unity South Africa’s (BUSA) Economic Indaba on 14 January in Johannesburg that energy supply was the number one priority and urgent action is needed. Industry, particularly the mining sector, has been lobbying hard for regulatory approval to generate its own power. Amid a deteriorating economic and employment situation, and a falling sovereign credit rating, power has become a pre-eminent i
Also in this section
10 March 2026
From Venezuela to Hormuz, the US—backed by the most powerful military force ever assembled—is redrawing not only oil and gas flows but also the global balance of energy power
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
