The passing of the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill by Parliament earlier this month takes the energy sector a step closer towards the unbundling of Eskom and a more competitive energy market.

The Energy Council of South Africa says the implementation of the new transmission company envisioned in the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill (ERA) Bill and already legally established by Eskom, will help to facilitate and accelerate the investment, policy development and skills required to modernise the grid for a low-carbon future and energy security.

"South Africa is already moving rapidly towards a decentralised electricity system, with more than 5GW of installed rooftop solar PV and hundreds of large-scale utility wind and solar projects moving into construction. The enactment of the ERA Bill will help to ensure that this cheaper and cleaner generation capacity can effectively be brought online optimally, and to the benefit of all electricity consumers," said James Mackay, chief executive of the Energy Council.

Although South Africa is currently at a record 62 days without rolling blackouts, many have dismissed this as an electioneering ploy by the ruling party. Commenting on that line of thought, Jan Fourie, the new chief executive at renewable energy developer and power producer Mulilo, says he doesn't think rolling blackouts are over by "any stretch of the imagination". "I'm fairly convinced that the amount of diesel being burned is being understated for political...