Ramokgopa Unveils Plans In Private Sector Transmission Projects

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has announced plans to implement multi-billion Rand transmission infrastructure projects through the private sector. This will involve the procurement of approximately 1 164 km of 400 kV lines in the Northern Cape, North West and Gauteng.

The process will be led by the National Transmission Company of SA NTCSA, which will be the buyer of the key infrastructure as the government ramps up its energy security efforts.

The NTCSA is one of the entities under Eskoms legal separation process, namely generation, distribution and transmission, announced in President Cyril Ramaphosas 2019 state of the nation address.

Ramokgopa says to turn the country into a construction site, create jobs and see economic growth, the private sector has to be roped in to help in the rollout of the 1 164 km of transmission lines.

"Were going to build 400 KV, thats the capacity of the lines 400 KV, and of course, there are going to be transformers that are going to support that. What is the length of the transmission that is being announced today is 1 164 kilometers of new transmission lines, and this, like I said, with association transmission, the corridors are going to be in three provinces. It is in the Northern Cape, the NTCSAs balance sheet is not sufficient to do all the above the sovereign balance sheet is not sufficient. So, we look into the private sector to make this investment also in the North West and Gauteng are going to be the candidates," says Ramokgopa.