South Africa has officially commissioned the 148-megawatt Bolobedu Solar Plant in Limpopo province, the latest addition to the national electricity grid as the country works to stabilise supply and diversify away from coal-heavy generation.
According to the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), the facility — which spans approximately 347 hectares and was completed in April 2026 — is expected to generate around 300 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually and feed it directly into the national grid. The plant converts sunlight into power via photovoltaic technology, which is transmitted through existing grid infrastructure.
The project was developed by mining group Rio Tinto, underlining the growing role of private sector investment in expanding South Africa’s national energy infrastructure. GCIS noted that public-private partnerships are becoming increasingly important for delivering large-scale energy projects and attracting capital into the sector. Rio Tinto is expected to draw a portion of the generated electricity for its own operations while contributing surplus power to the grid under established supply arrangements.
South Africa continues to grapple with electricity supply constraints stemming from ageing infrastructure and limited generation capacity. Bolobedu is one of several renewable projects being integrated to improve supply reliability and reduce dependence on traditional power sources. The government said the project also supports skills development and small business participation tied to its construction and ongoing operations.
Source: angolanminingoilandgas.com