Joburg City Power ready to work with independent power producers for cheaper, greener energy supply

Johannesburg’s City Power says it is ready to receive independent power producers which will help it to provide cheaper and greener energy to its customers.

City Power acting CEO Tshifularo Mashava was speaking to the media at the City of Johannesburg’s first Energy Indaba currently underway in Sandton, north of Johannesburg.

She says the power utility needs about R26-billion to address its ageing power infrastructure.

Mashava says City Power buys the bulk of its electricity from Eskom, which it then sells to its customers, and they want independent power producers to take up this role.

“We are buying 90% from Eskom and it is not serving us well. It is getting costly, and it is not reliable. We would like to get other power purchase agreements with those that are able to do it. We would prefer sustainable ways in terms of renewables perhaps. We are also looking for those with battery storage. We ready to do business, we are ready to receive other independent power producers.”

“As we sit here today, most customers are moving to other alternatives. They have solar, gas. We’d like to partner with customers in that journey.
This partnership is for energy security, so that we deal with capacity challenges, its for reliable cheap energy” Tshifularo Mashava.

— @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) May 23, 2022

SABC Reporter Liabo Setho speaks to Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse on plans to help stabilise the city’s energy supply: