Energy minister Gwede Mantashe said the deals with private
producers would add 2,583 MW of contracted capacity to the grid -- a boost of
roughly 4.5 percent on current capacity.
"More investment in grid infrastructure is a critical
requirement to ensure participation by cheaper renewable projects in
future," he told a news conference.
The first projects are not expected to come on line until
April 2024 at the earliest.
The continent's most industrialised nation is struggling to
meet its energy needs.
Rolling blackouts, a part of life since 2007, are hampering
economic growth and stifling job creation in a country with more than 34
percent unemployment.
The ruling African National Congress admitted it was facing
a voter backlash over the blackouts, as it struggles to rally support for local
government elections next week.
Coal provides 80 percent of South Africa's power, placing it
among the world top 12 largest greenhouse gas emitters.
The country is seeking to highlight its efforts to wean
itself off coal in the run-up to the UN's COP26 climate summit in Scotland.
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