The chairperson of the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on mineral resources and energy, Zet Luzipo, has announced that public hearings on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill will be ramped up in order to allow for competition in the electricity market.
The committee aims to complete this process before the end of the year, with the goal of opening up the market and providing alternatives to Eskom.
During the recent public hearings held in Limpopo, some individuals expressed their support for the Bill, believing that competition in the electricity sector would lead to a more stable industry.
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Years of load shedding have negatively impacted the economy, resulting in job losses and significant financial costs. According to the Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, stage 6 load shedding alone is costing the country R1 billion per day.
The Regulation Amendment Bill seeks to effect changes to the current Electricity Regulation Act in order to allow for additional electricity generation capacity and infrastructure.
It also aims to establish the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd and create an open market platform for competitive electricity trading.
The duties, powers, and functions of the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd would be assigned to the National Transmission Company South Africa SOC Ltd.
While the Bill has received support from some communities, concerns have also been raised.
One such concern is the potential increase in electricity prices once new players enter the market.
The next phase of public hearings will provide the committee with an opportunity to gather more views from South Africans on how they believe the government should address the energy crisis in the country.
