South Africa’s energy future hinges on getting wheeling right

South Africa's energy wheeling sector has made significant progress over the past decade, driven by advocacy, regulatory reform, and public-private collaboration. Energy wheeling—using existing grid infrastructure to deliver power from private generators to end users—is central to expanding renewable energy. Key milestones include the first electricity trading licences, pilot wheeling transactions, and the upcoming South African Wholesale Electricity Market (Sawem) launch in 2026. Remaining challenges include unbundling tariff structures, clarifying customer choice rules, and expanding grid capacity to accommodate new renewable projects as ageing coal plants are decommissioned.