The South Africa-China Electricity and Energy Investment Conference opened on August 3 at POWERCHINA‘s headquarters in Beijing, marking a significant step in advancing long-term energy partnerships between the two countries. The two-day event, organized by South Africa’s Department of Electricity and Energy and the South African Embassy in China, with support from POWERCHINA, brought together over 260 government, finance, and industry representatives to explore investment opportunities exceeding R2.2 trillion through 2039 under South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan 2025 (IRP 2025).
Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s minister of electricity and energy, stated that the country is entering a decisive decade in its energy market transformation. He emphasized that the IRP 2025 investment pipeline would not only add generation and transmission capacity but also support lasting infrastructure, industrial development, and shared prosperity through long-term partnerships.
POWERCHINA’s Role in South Africa’s Energy Transition
Since beginning operations in South Africa in 2008, POWERCHINA has contributed to the country’s power and water infrastructure. Wang Xiaojun, president of POWERCHINA, expressed readiness to work with government agencies, financial institutions, and industry partners to move projects from planning to implementation, creating lasting value through local procurement, skills development, and supply chain cooperation.
Under IRP 2025, South Africa plans to add about 105 GW of new generation capacity by 2039, supported by a diversified mix of solar, wind, battery storage, natural gas, and nuclear power. The country also intends to build approximately 14,500 kilometers of transmission infrastructure, requiring an estimated R440 billion in transmission investment over the next decade.
POWERCHINA’s Existing Projects in South Africa
POWERCHINA’s experience in South Africa provides a practical foundation for its participation in the country’s next phase of infrastructure development. The company’s completed and ongoing wind, solar photovoltaic, and concentrated solar power projects in South Africa have a combined capacity of 1.9 GW. Its battery storage projects under construction have a combined capacity of 1.9 GWh.
Among these projects is the 100 MW Redstone concentrated solar power project, South Africa’s largest tower-based molten salt solar thermal facility. The project combines solar generation with thermal energy storage to provide dispatchable renewable power. POWERCHINA is also participating in the Oya hybrid facility project, which integrates wind, solar, and battery storage on a single grid-connected platform to support a more flexible and reliable power system.
Water Infrastructure and Local Development
Beyond energy generation, POWERCHINA is contributing to water infrastructure that supports electricity supply, industrial activity, and local communities. The Mokolo-Crocodile Water Augmentation Project Phase 2A is a major water infrastructure project under South Africa’s National Water Resource Strategy. Once completed, it is expected to deliver 75 million cubic meters of water annually, securing water supplies for the Medupi and Matimba power stations, supporting development in the Waterberg mining area, and providing water to industrial facilities, municipalities, and communities along the route.
POWERCHINA has also incorporated local procurement, subcontracting, and skills development into its project delivery in South Africa. Its projects have created thousands of local jobs and supported the development of local suppliers. At the Redstone project, the company established a welding training center and worked with a local university to provide technical education linked to concentrated solar power. These initiatives help strengthen local capabilities needed to support South Africa’s growing energy sector over the long term.
The conference is expected to lay the groundwork for a proposed South Africa-China Energy Investment Partnership. POWERCHINA will continue working with South African partners to advance reliable energy and water infrastructure that supports industrial development and sustainable growth.
