In efforts to diversify energy sources and address the national electricity crisis, the eThekwini Municipality, together with the Department of Electricity and Energy, collaborated during a recent oversight. The oversight took place on Friday, 8 August, at the Bisasar Road Landfill in Clare Hills, Durban.
Project engineer, Denzel Estrice, said: “The project, which was established in 2010, intends to harness the landfill gas generated to produce electricity. Since the site’s closure in 2016, there had been a tailing off in gas, but despite this, we were still able to generate electricity.”
Estrice praised the city and Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa for their presence, which helped shed light on the project and showcase the efforts that both the city and Durban Solid Waste (DSW) have put in to ensure a sustainable and equitable future.
EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Cyril Xaba, said: “We are not only celebrating the decision by the Minister of Electricity and Energy to authorise the city to develop new electricity generation capacity, but we are also affirming our commitment to lead South Africa’s energy transition in a way that is secure, inclusive, and sustainable. We are the first metro in the country to receive this determination from the Minister to procure new electricity generation capacity directly from Independent Power Producers (IPPs). This is a precedent-setting moment that reinforces the constitutional role of municipalities in ensuring they deliver quality services.”
He added that this programme will allow eThekwini Municipality to procure 400 MW of new generation capacity – 100 MW Solar PV and 300 MW Gas to Power (GTP), with a focus on dispatchable, reliable, and low-carbon energy technologies. “The energy mix is clearly articulated in the city’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP). Additionally, it will unlock R8.5 billion in private investment and create over 2,000 jobs.”
“The procurement will be rolled out in phases. The Request for Proposals (RFP) for Solar PV will be issued in December this year, with the construction expected by September 2027. The Gas-to-Power RFP will follow in 2026, and the details of which will be communicated in due course. This staggered approach allows us to align with demand profiles, strengthen local capacity, and manage implementation risks responsibly,” Xaba concluded.
