The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) reports that it registered 124 renewable energy generation facilities during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
Although there are more solar PV facilities newly registered, the wind energy facilities account for the greater share of new generation capacity.
The newly registered solar and wind energy facilities together have a total capacity of 804 MW and represent an investment value estimated at R20.18 billion.
In a statement the regulator says, “NERSA processed the applications for the registration of the 124 generation facilities within an average of 10 working days. This is an improvement from the 2025/26 financial year’s first quarter, during which 111 applications for registration were processed within an average of 11 working days. It reflects NERSA’s commitment to efficient evaluation and processing of registration applications for new generation facilities.”
Of the newly registered facilities 122 are solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities, with a capacity of 236 MW, and the other two use wind energy technology and deliver a combined capacity of 568 MW. They are located across South Africa’s nine provinces.
NERSA further confirms: “Of the 124 registered facilities, 63 are connected to municipal distribution networks, representing a combined capacity of 47 MW and an estimated investment cost of R639 million. The remaining 61 facilities are connected to the Eskom network, accounting for 757 MW of capacity and an estimated R19 541 million in investment.
“In the first quarter of 2026/27, the average investment cost was around R25 099/kW.
“Since the inception of the registration regime in 2018, NERSA has registered 2 619 generation facilities, with a combined capacity of 20 131 MW and an estimated total investment cost of some R409 billion.”
The regulator notes that the approval of 124 new generation facilities supports grid reliability and safety, improves national electricity planning, encourages private investment, expands generation capacity, strengthens South Africa’s energy security and facilitates the transition to a more competitive, renewables-based electricity sector.
For more information visit: www.sanews.gov.za
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