Eskom's intention is to stabilise the national grid and prevent load shedding as it moves from coal-fired power stations to renewable energy sources.
"As we have learnt from other countries that have gone down this path, grid stability becomes an important component of dispatchable power once you have more renewables in the mix," said Eskom CEO Dan Marokane at a media conference at Eskom's head office, Megawatt Park, on Friday.
"This initiative allows us more flexibility in terms of managing the transition and ensures that as we move into a space where the renewable component of our generation mix increases that we also have options and solutions for stabilising the grid."
Eskom plans to convert some its coal-fired power stations scheduled for decommissioning in the next decade into gas-to-power facilities.
Sasol, on the other hand, caters to both industry and the public, but faces a "gas cliff" as its reservoirs in Mozambique will soon be depleted.
