Western Cape on track to add 1 800 MW in 2026/27 as energy push gathers pace – Green Building Africa

• The Western Cape says it is on track to install 1 800 MW of new power in the 2026/27 financial year, putting the province ahead of its original plan.
• The province’s wider target of 5 700 MW by 2035 is now expected to be reached well before deadline.
• Municipal generation, rooftop solar, wheeling rules and grid upgrades are all helping to speed up delivery.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said the province’s energy resilience programme is moving faster than expected, with the 1 800 MW addition in the next financial year forming part of a broader drive to strengthen power security and support economic growth. The province’s long term goal is to bring 5 700 MW of new energy generation online, a target that now appears to be within reach ahead of 2035.

Local governments are playing a central role in the programme by procuring electricity from independent power producers and municipal projects that can feed directly into the market. The City of Cape Town is expected to contribute 200 MW, while Saldanha aims for 100 MW, Stellenbosch 50 MW and Mossel Bay 30 MW.

The Western Cape government says municipalities are also processing and approving rooftop solar PV installations for homes and businesses, allowing excess power to flow back into local grids. In parallel, councils are working on wheeling frameworks, electricity master plans and cost of supply studies to prepare networks for larger volumes of distributed generation.

Alongside its energy programme, the province is pushing a water resilience strategy that aims to secure an additional 300 million cubic metres of water a year by 2035. The plan combines conservation, demand management, infrastructure development and clearing of invasive alien plants that consume large volumes of water.

The province said the combined efforts reflect closer coordination between provincial departments, municipalities and national government, with the aim of improving energy and water security while supporting investment across the Western Cape.

Author: Bryan Groenendaal