National Assembly passes bill to bolster electricity sector with private investors, modern infrastructure

CAPE TOWN - Eskom is one step closer to the creation of a stand-alone transmission company, after the National Assembly passed the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill.

The legislation, known as the ERA Bill, aims to provide new generation capacity by introducing private investors and better electricity infrastructure.

It also provides for the establishment of the Transmission System Operator company.

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Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said the bill would also modernise the struggling energy sector, adding the bill was not an “ANC bill”, and should be supported.

Most political parties in the National Assembly supported the ERA Bill, saying it took long enough.

Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Kevin Mileham said his party supported the bill.

“Despite these misgivings, it is vital that the system operator be established, and the electricity sector be opened up to private sector participation. The Democratic Alliance will support the bill.”

The bill will now go to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for concurrence.