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Eskom kicked off its initiative to integrate utility-scale renewable generation within its existing coal-fired power station fleet by breaking ground on a 75MW solar power plant at Lethabo power station in the Free State on Wednesday.
Eskom said once completed, the plant was expected to generate 147GWh of electricity annually, supplying power to an estimated 60,000 households.
“In addition to its energy contribution, the project will create vital local economic opportunities and contribute significantly to skills development during both the construction and operational phases,” Eskom said in a statement.
The Lethabo solar power project forms part of Eskom’s broader pipeline of renewable energy and storage initiatives currently under development.
It is one of 17 high‑priority projects that will be implemented across Eskom’s existing coal‑fired power station footprint, with construction expected to commence between now and 2028. Collectively, these projects are expected to deliver approximately 6GW of new capacity by 2030.
These developments will be strategically located at power stations including Arnot, Duvha, Majuba, Tutuka, Lethabo, Komati, Kendal, Kusile, Hendrina, Camden and Grootvlei, leveraging existing infrastructure to accelerate deployment, reduce costs and strengthen grid resilience.
The Lethabo project also forms part of Eskom’s construction‑ready pipeline of at least 2GW of renewable energy and pumped storage projects progressing during 2026.
Eskom said funding for these projects had been provisioned within Eskom’s approved capital expenditure programme and would be financed through on‑balance sheet funding, in line with National Treasury debt relief conditions, without reliance on additional project finance borrowing.
Eskom CEO Dan Marokane said Eskom celebrated 365 days without loadshedding last week, as a result of the focused delivery over the past three years of the generation recovery plan by its employees.
“Now that we have delivered a stable electricity platform for the South African economy to grow from, we can seamlessly enable the integration of renewable energy sources as required by the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan to maintain future energy security,” he said.
Eskom’s group executive for generation, Bheki Nxumalo, said the power utility’s coal‑fired operations remained central to grid stability, and it was strengthening that foundation by integrating renewable capacity on the same footprint.
“By leveraging established transmission infrastructure, grid connections and deep operational expertise, we can deploy new generation at pace and at scale, without compromising system reliability,” Nxumalo said.
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