The City of Cape Town is seeking comments on a draft energy strategy plan designed to eliminate loadshedding and create access to electricity for all.
Also read: The Western Cape Government has plans for a loadshedding-free province
The strategy details how the current energy sector is no longer viable. Recognising that the country is facing major challenges, the City of Cape Town hopes to create a resilient system.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the strategy is grounded in three categories: to end loadshedding, reduce poverty and optimise energy across the City. ‘This will be backed by a future-fit municipal electricity service, proactive electricity infrastructure upgrades and support for residents to seize opportunities in the changing energy market.’
ESI Africa reports that the City plans to add about 650MW of power to its energy mix over the next five years and ultimately build 1GW of independent power. The latter will be aimed at ending loadshedding for good. This process will be achieved by focusing on the supply of reliable, cost-effective and carbon-neutral energy.
Some key measures of the 1GW plan include:
- Implementing 200MW of power sourced from independent power producers
- Generating 500MW of dispatchable energy, with 10-year contracts for renewable energy power plants connected to the grid
- Energy wheeling up to 350MW across the City of Cape Town
- Generating up to 20MW of City-owned small-scale embedded generation from the Atlantis plant (7MW) and solar PV from city facilities (13MW)
Some of the more short-term mitigation measures (up to 2026) include being dependent on a mix of the Steenbras Hydro Plant, 500MW of dispatchable energy, and demand response programmes.
A demand-side programme will include curbing large power users, and the current Power Heroes project, a voluntary incentives programme that utilises the remote switching of high-use energy appliances during peak times.
To alleviate energy poverty over the next five years, the City plans to implement the following measures:
- Uphold the high electrification rate of informal settlements (where possible)
- Enhance the grid and reform subsidies
- Provide a Free Basic Alternative Energy Policy for informal households not connected to the grid
- Pilot alternative public lighting solutions for underserved settlements
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Councillor Beverly van Reenen, the mayoral committee member for energy, says the draft energy strategy will provide a means to increase loadshedding mitigation in the short term and create a future-fit municipal electricity utility.
‘The City’s electricity business model is set to transition from relying only on the sale of electricity, with limited customer choice, to an increasingly competitive regional energy market that offers customers greater choice, and a greater share of distributed renewable energy, underpinned by proactive grid maintenance.
‘Our strategy further commits the City to the annual publication of updated energy data on the City Open Data Portal, a drive to empower entrepreneurs, youth and job seekers to take advantage of a growing energy sector and thriving market in Cape Town.’
Comments for Our Shared Energy Future: The 2050 Energy Strategy for the City of Cape Town can be submitted online here. The deadline is 31 July 2023.
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Also read:
City of Cape Town builds new R145m electricity switching station
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