NTPC in talks with Eskom for green energy partnership

India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is in discussions with South Africa’s state-owned utility Eskom to form a green energy partnership, according to officials. The collaboration could help South Africa expand its clean energy generation while supporting the maintenance of its aging thermal plants.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed over a year and a half ago, NTPC is already training Eskom engineers in an in-house three-month program in India. The two companies are also exploring potential partnership models for green energy projects.

South Africa, which generates about 85% of its electricity from coal, has plans to significantly increase its green power capacity. The country currently has 19GW of green power and aims to reach 26GW by 2030 and 105GW by 2035.

Eskom, which provides 90% of South Africa’s electricity, has faced severe power shortages in recent years, including prolonged rolling blackouts. However, the company reported that South Africa has not experienced load-shedding for over 500 days as of October 4, 2024.

NTPC, which has a total installed power generation capacity of 91.5GW in India, including 67.36GW of coal-based power, is also considering supplying components and spare parts for Eskom’s aging thermal power plants. This would help maintain the efficiency of South Africa’s existing coal infrastructure.

Eskom’s thermal power capacity stands at 45GW, with some plants dating back to the 1960s. The proposed partnership with NTPC is seen as a way to sustain and modernize these facilities while advancing South Africa’s green energy transition.