New Regulation: South Africa Approves First 100MW Solar Project

The National Electricity Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has approved the first private projects to be regulated under new amendments to how projects apply for a generation license if under 100MW in size.

President Cyril Ramaphosa in August 2021 made a landmark regulatory change to amend Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act to extend the limit over which a private power project must apply for a Generation Licence from 1MW to 100MW.

The first two projects to receive NERSA approval are 100MW solar PV Projects in the North West Province of the country.

Both will be developed, financed, constructed and operated by the SOLA Group and its partners for Tronox Mineral Sands.

The registration process for these private projects is faster and less onerous than previous requirements.

Dom Wills, Sola Group CEO said this first move is significant in that it paves the way for more large-scale private projects to receive approval and contribute to the generation capacity of South Africa’s grid.