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South Africa plans 5 GW of gas-fired power plants and 4.6 GW of BESS

  • 20 days ago (2026-10-13)
  • David Flin
Africa 380 Gas 489 Storage 58

The South African Government has announced it will start a procurement process for 5 GW of gas-fired electricity capacity and 4.6 GW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) under the first allocations of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025.

Gas Turbine Forum (GTF) 2027
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Gas Turbine Forum (GTF) 2027

IRP 2025 aims to add 105 GW of new power capacity by 2039, including 25 GW of solar, but the development of gas-fired power plants and storage capacity is a priority to resolve immediate electricity supply requirements, with BESS being central to mitigating brownouts.

The Ministry of Electricity and Energy said: “The proposed 4.6 GW allocation will substantially expand the procurement of storage services. The proposed 5 GW allocation will complement storage by providing dispatchable electricity when renewable output falls or demand rises.”