- Nearly 2 000 MW of new generation capacity registered with an estimated investment value of R33.39 billion.
- Solar photovoltaic dominates new registrations, reflecting continued private sector appetite for clean energy.
- Faster regulatory processing highlights improving efficiency at NERSA.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has registered 147 electricity generation facilities during the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, covering the period from October to December 2025. The newly registered projects represent a combined installed capacity of 1 960 MW and an estimated investment value of R33.39 billion.
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NERSA processed all registration applications within an average turnaround time of nine working days, a notable improvement compared with the same quarter of the previous financial year, when 117 applications were processed in an average of 14 working days. The regulator said this reflects its ongoing commitment to efficient evaluation and processing of generation facility registrations.
Image credit: NERSA
Solar photovoltaic technology dominated new registrations during the quarter, underpinned by South Africa’s strong solar resource and the scalability of PV projects across both small and large generation facilities. Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal recorded the highest number of newly registered projects. However, Gauteng, the Free State and Limpopo emerged as the leading provinces in terms of total installed capacity and investment value.
Image credit: NERSA
One project located in Gauteng accounted for the largest single investment during the quarter, with an estimated capital value of R13.31 billion and an installed capacity of 1 017 MW.
Of the 147 registered facilities, 71 projects with a combined capacity of 62 MW are connected to municipal distribution networks, representing an investment of approximately R832 million. The remaining 76 facilities are connected to the Eskom transmission network, contributing 1 898 MW of capacity and an investment value of approximately R32.56 billion. The average investment cost for projects registered during the quarter was approximately R17 038 per kilowatt.
Since the introduction of the registration regime in 2018, NERSA has registered a total of 2 383 generation facilities, amounting to roughly 18 000 MW of installed capacity and cumulative investment of approximately R361 billion.
Image credit: Nersa
NERSA said the approval of these new generation facilities is expected to make a meaningful contribution to strengthening South Africa’s electricity supply and supporting greater security of energy for the economy.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
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