Mbabane – Eswatini’s drive to cement its role in regional energy generation advanced this week, with the government confirming that three new power plants will be commissioned in December.
The development was revealed by Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Prince Lonkhokhela, during a bilateral engagement with South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, held at Summerfield Botanical Garden, last week Friday.
While the meeting focused on cooperation, the underlying message was clear: Eswatini intends to shift from being a net importer of electricity to a competitive contributor within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
Prince Lonkhokhela announced that three new plants are set for commissioning in December, part of a pipeline involving 18 prospective independent power producers (IPPs) currently in talks with the government.
Though details on the December projects were not disclosed, the minister said the progress forms part of a national strategy to build long-term energy resilience and unlock new economic opportunities.
“We are talking with 18 companies wishing to produce and supply electricity. Yet, still we are launching three new plants this December,” he said, signalling confidence in the country’s rapid generation expansion agenda.
Critically, the minister said that the country’s roadmap aligns with the SADC Protocol on Energy, which promotes regional integration and electricity trade. With South Africa facing fluctuating generation capacity, Eswatini is attracting private developers interested in generating power specifically for export to the regional powerhouse.
“There are private companies interested in generating power specifically for export to RSA. We request that discussions continue on these projects,” Prince Lonkhokhela said, reinforcing Eswatini’s intent to position itself as a reliable, small but significant power exporter.
The meeting also highlighted energy cooperation beyond infrastructure. The minister noted that Eswatini seeks to leverage South Africa’s experience with large-scale projects like Medupi and Kusile for skills transfer and capacity building. Engineers, project managers and analysts from Eswatini are expected to benefit from South Africa’s technical expertise in project oversight, even as those very plants — Medupi and Kusile — are known for their complexities and cost overruns.
“May our two nations also cooperate in the areas of capacity building and skills transfer, our teams would certainly learn a lot from the teams that delivered the Medupi and Kusile plants,” the Minister said.
Dr Ramokgopa, responding, welcomed Eswatini’s fast-moving generation agenda, describing the partnership as a community of equals, a significant diplomatic framing that departs from the traditional dynamic where South Africa acts as the dominant energy supplier in the region.
“An industrialised region is possible if we consistently invest in electricity and other critical infrastructure,” he said. “A thriving Eswatini contributes to a thriving South Africa and the region,” he added.
With several new generation projects in the pipeline, including solar farms, biomass plants, and potential export-driven IPPs, Eswatini’s energy sector is moving into a new era. The commissioning of the three plants in December will be a key test of whether the Kingdom’s ambitions can translate into tangible, sustainable capacity.
Discussion about this post