- The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has registered 181 new power generation facilities during the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, adding 1 401 MW of capacity to the national grid at an estimated investment value of R30.78 billion.
The registrations, completed between July and September 2025, were processed within an average of 10 working days, marking an improvement on the 12-day turnaround achieved during the same period last year, when 149 facilities were registered. NERSA said the faster processing time reflects its ongoing commitment to streamlining the evaluation and registration of new generation projects.
According to the regulator, Gauteng, the Western Cape and Limpopo recorded the highest number of newly registered facilities. However, in terms of total installed capacity and investment value, the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Limpopo led the way. The Western Cape alone accounted for R20.77 billion in new investments and 872 MW of capacity.
Of the newly registered projects, 93 facilities are connected to municipal distribution networks, representing 75.1 MW of capacity and R1.19 billion in investment. The remaining 88 facilities are connected to Eskom’s grid, contributing 1 325.8 MW of capacity and R29.6 billion in investment. The average investment cost per kilowatt in the quarter was R21 970/kW.
Since the launch of South Africa’s generation registration regime in 2018, NERSA has approved 2 236 facilities with a combined capacity of 16 040 MW, representing a total investment of R328 billion.
NERSA said the newly registered projects will strengthen South Africa’s electricity generation capacity and contribute to a more stable and secure power supply as the country continues its energy transition.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
