Article re-cap
- The City of Cape Town has approved a R6 billion capital investment over the next three years to reduce reliance on Eskom and lower electricity costs.
- A total of R656 million is allocated for renewable energy generation systems as part of the city's energy secure service delivery plan.
- The city plans to invest R165 million to replace ageing streetlights with energy efficient LED technology.
- The Coastal Park landfill site near Muizenberg generates 1.3 million kWh of electricity per month through a waste to energy project.
The City of Cape Town has approved a R6 billion capital investment over the next three years to reduce reliance on Eskom and lower electricity costs for consumers.
Alderman Xanthea Limberg, the mayoral committee member for energy, said the budget aims to maintain supply reliability and meet Energy Strategy objectives. The city's Energy Directorate currently directs approximately 70% of tariff income to Eskom, which Limberg identified as the largest driver for electricity costs.
The investment includes R1.8 billion for energy-secure service delivery, featuring R656 million for renewable energy generation systems and R589 million for the Steenbras hydro plant. The budget also allocates R492 million to a ground-mounted solar project and R159 million to support small-scale embedded generation.
Infrastructure upgrades include R165 million to replace ageing streetlights with energy-efficient LED technology and R261.5 million for public lighting. Additionally, R1.4 billion is earmarked for city-wide transmission system developments in regions such as New Monte Vista, Grassy Park, Oakdale, Triangle, and Gugulethu-Mitchells Plain.
At the Coastal Park landfill site near Muizenberg, a waste-to-energy project converts methane gas into electricity. Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg, said the project generates 1.3 million kWh a month, with 1.2 million kWh fed into the grid to supply more than 4,000 households.
For residents in the Cape Town metro, these municipal finance allocations aim to stabilise electricity tariffs by reducing the cost of bulk energy purchases from Eskom and improving local generation capacity.
This follows earlier local coverage of Cape Town electricity tariffs to rise by 7.5 per cent.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Cape Town investing in renewable energy over the next three years?
The City of Cape Town has approved a R6 billion capital investment over three years, with R656 million specifically allocated for renewable energy generation systems and R492 million for a ground-mounted solar project.
What percentage of the city's tariff income currently goes to Eskom?
The Energy Directorate currently directs approximately 70 per cent of tariff income to Eskom, which has been identified as the largest driver of electricity costs for consumers in Cape Town.
How much electricity does the Coastal Park waste-to-energy project generate?
The waste-to-energy project at Coastal Park landfill near Muizenberg generates 1.3 million kWh a month, with 1.2 million kWh fed into the grid to supply more than 4,000 households.
Which areas will benefit from the city-wide transmission system developments?
The R1.4 billion transmission system development programme covers regions including New Monte Vista, Grassy Park, Oakdale, Triangle, and Gugulethu-Mitchells Plain.
Source: mybroadband.co.za
