INEP and its implementing agencies – Eskom, municipalities and non-grid service providers – have made remarkable progress in increasing access to electricity in South Africa and have connected over 6,7 million households between 1994 to March 2016.
Access to electricity is at 88% since 1994. R5.6 billion has been appropriated by 2015/16 financialyear on the Electrification Programme, to delivering 260 000 connections utilising both grid and non-grid technologies. At the end of March 2016, INEP achieved 231 012 (grid) and 25 076 (non-grid) connections. This results in a total of 256 088 new connections as part of the 2015/16 financial year allocations.
The Non-Grid Electrification Programme has progressed well in the last financial year and has over achieved its target by achieving 25 076 connections. Since the inception of Non-Grid Electrification Programme, INEP achieved more than 123 379 installations of non-grid systems mainly in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Limpopo.
Non-grid systems consisting of solar cells converting sun energy into electrical energy are now also being considered for implementation in urban areas of the country with a view of increasing the basic electricity services in the informal settlements.
The EU is also assisting the Department to develop a sustainable delivery model and sustainable non-grid entities around the country. INEP has also developed the first draft of the Electrification Master Plan (EMP) to ensure better cooperation between the different implementing entities, as well as different technologies, and grid and non-grid roll-out in un-serviced areas, to ensure that universal access is reached by 2025/26.
