By: Xolani Khumalo
President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the deadline for the Eskom Restructuring Task Team to submit its report on the establishment of South Africa’s independent Transmission System Operator (TSO) until the end of this month.
The task team was established to assess and make recommendations on the creation of a fully independent, state-owned Transmission System Operator that will own, manage and control the country’s electricity transmission assets. The proposed entity is expected to play a central role in strengthening the national grid, improving energy security and facilitating greater participation by both public and private electricity producers.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says the task team’s work is being undertaken in two phases. The first phase focuses on the establishment of the Transmission System Operator, including its governance structure, operational framework and ownership model.
The second phase will involve the development of a detailed implementation plan, outlining the legislative, regulatory and institutional steps required to operationalise the new entity.
The establishment of an independent Transmission System Operator forms part of South Africa’s broader electricity sector reforms aimed at improving grid management, enabling fair and transparent access to the transmission network, and supporting the integration of new generation capacity, particularly from renewable energy sources.
