<\/p>\n
The discussion follows recent improvements at power utility, Eskom, including more than 300 consecutive days without load shedding and an increase of about 4 400MW in available capacity compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Energy Expert Tshepo Kgadima said the surplus is not solely the result of operational improvements, but also shifting demand patterns in the economy.\u201cThe surplus electricity is not solely a factor of the management of Eskom; energy-intensive industries have been migrating, and affluent households are going off-grid,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said rising electricity tariffs have contributed to reduced demand, with major industrial consumers scaling back operations or exiting the grid altogether.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima described the situation as a \u201cblessing in disguise\u201d, arguing that the surplus could position SA to benefit from emerging global industries. \u201cOne can say this is a blessing in disguise globally now you have growth in the artificial intelligence economy,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said SA has a unique advantage due to its available power capacity, which is critical for energy-intensive sectors such as artificial intelligence and data centres. \u201cArtificial intelligence works on three pillars power, compute, and connectivity and SA has excess power,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima proposed a coordinated strategy to position the country as a hub for AI-related investment, bringing together state-owned entities in energy, telecommunications and digital infrastructure.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said integrating institutions such as Eskom, Sentech, and Broadband Infraco could create a foundation for large-scale investment in digital infrastructure. \u201cWe need a concerted effort to ensure Eskom remains a leader and a low-cost producer of electricity,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said global investment in AI infrastructure is accelerating, with hundreds of billions of dollars expected to flow into the sector. \u201cIf we capture even 10% of global investment, it could propel the economy and create jobs,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima warned that failure to act quickly could see investment diverted to other countries. \u201cThere are no vacuums if we do not act; investment will find a home elsewhere,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Despite the potential, Kgadima said challenges remain within the energy sector, including declining demand from large industrial users and financial pressures linked to municipal debt. \u201cEskom is haemorrhaging customers and municipalities owe more than $6.12 billion,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said surplus electricity is currently being held in reserve, which carries a cost for the utility without generating revenue.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima argued that without a strategic shift, the current surplus could become a liability rather than an asset.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The debate also comes as policymakers consider broader reforms, including the creation of an independent transmission operator, which could reshape how electricity is distributed and managed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said the focus should shift from how the grid is owned to how it can enable economic growth. \u201cHow do we ensure Eskom plays a foundational role in economic growth?\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgadima said realising the opportunity will require coordinated action across government, the private sector and key institutions. \u201cWe need a rallying point to make a giant leap in the next five years,\u201d Kgadima said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":37582,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[78,44],"class_list":["post-37581","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-featured","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) electricity surplus has triggered renewed debate over how to leverage excess power, with experts warning the opportunity must be used strategically to drive long-term growth.","published_date":"","news_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) electricity surplus has triggered renewed debate over how to leverage excess power, with experts warning the opportunity must be used strategically to drive long-term growth.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/37581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/37581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37583,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/37581\/revisions\/37583"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=37581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}