South African Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa proposed a “mega bid window” for the procurement of renewable energy to curb rolling blackouts, even as previous plans to build clean power generation have been delayed. Read all our Eskom coverage here. Ramokgopa recommended buying a minimum of 15 000 megawatts of energy, in addition to other measures that go beyond a seventh round of auctions for renewable-power supply that’s already planned.
The request for a mega bid window would be made to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, led by Minister Gwede Mantashe, according to the presentation. South Africa’s program to buy renewable energy from private producers has succeeded in drawing developers and building projects, but the auctions have faced multiple delays in recent years, despite attempts by President Cyril Ramaphosa to accelerate and expand them.