The City of Tshwane has announced plans to build its own energy supply, independent of Eskom, by 2026.

Mayor Cilliers Brink announced the news at a pre-launch event for the upcoming Tshwane Energy Summit, which will take place on June 19 and 20.

The conference will be hosted by the City of Tshwane and the Tshwane Economic Development Agency.

The city’s goal is to generate 1 000 MW of energy from a mix of independent sources by 2026, Brink said.

“While the country has had several days of no load shedding, the question is ‘What happens after the elections?’ It is important that we continue to plan for an energy-secure future. We cannot simply hope that the lights will stay on. Therefore, as the City of Tshwane, energy independence remains a priority for our administration.”

He said South Africa’s energy crisis had capped national GDP growth at 2%. “We need to lift this by deploying as much energy as possible so that businesses can thrive.”

The Tshwane Energy Summit will serve as an important event in the city’s efforts to promote collaboration between the public and private sectors and attract investment into Tshwane, Brink said.