The Energy Council of South Africa has launched an online portal and stakeholder poll aimed at supporting the operational transition to the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM), which is scheduled to begin phased implementation from April 1, 2026.
The Road to SAWEM Launch Portal provides electricity market participants with access to key implementation documents, technical updates and a platform to submit operational feedback. According to the council, it was developed to support system readiness by improving communication between the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) and industry stakeholders while also serving as a reference resource for organisations aligning internal systems with the evolving market framework.
A short stakeholder poll is also accessible via the portal. The council has encouraged active participation, stating that input will help identify operational gaps, guide capacity-building efforts and inform ongoing industry engagement.
The NTCSA, which has applied to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa for a Market Operator licence, is leading preparations for the new market framework with support from NECOM. The council said several technical and procedural milestones must still be achieved before go-live in April 2026 including regulatory alignment, systems integration, settlement design and industry capacity building.
The portal is intended to help stakeholders track this progress and align operational planning accordingly.
