South Africa Signs Eight Deals to Revamp Electricity Network with China
South Africa signed eight agreements with Chinese companies to strengthen its electricity system and address load shedding on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit, currently taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The pacts will assist South Africa to expand electricity generation, transmission and distribution networks as well upgrade its nuclear facility, extend the life of coal plants, deploy technologies to reduce emissions and build solar PV manufacturing facilities.
The agreements were signed by Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Electricity with Chinese entities including State Grid Corporation of China, China-Africa Development Fund, China Energy International Group, China General Nuclear Power Corporation, China National Electric Engineering, Huawei Technologies, TBEA Ltd and Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organisation.
“We must build sufficient capacity to allow the economy of the country to grow at the desired rate and the rate of growth of new generation capacity must surpass the rate of economic growth,” Ramokgopa said.
China has donated emergency power equipment worth R167 million and approximately R500 million in energy development assistance to South Africa during the BRICS Summit.
