Eskom’s inaugural venture into utility‑scale solar on a coal‑site has broken ground at the Lethabo power station in the northern Free State. The R1.2‑billion, 75 MW Lethabo solar plant is being erected by Eskom Green, the utility’s renewable arm, and is slated to churn out about 147 GWh per year – enough electricity for roughly 60 000 homes. The ceremony on Wednesday was attended by Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Eskom board chairman Mteto Nyati and group CEO Dan Marokane, underscoring the project’s political and strategic weight.
The Lethabo installation marks the first time Eskom is building a renewable facility on the footprint of an existing coal‑fired station. By leveraging entrenched grid connections, transmission lines and on‑site staff, the utility hopes to fast‑track the rollout of clean energy while preserving the capital invested in its coal infrastructure. This approach is central to Eskom Green’s broader pledge to deliver 6 GW of new capacity by 2030 through a pipeline of projects that will be sited alongside eleven of its coal stations.
Lethabo solar plant anchors Eskom’s 6 GW renewable pipeline
The Lethabo project is one of 17 high‑priority renewable developments earmarked for eleven coal‑station sites across the country. While the 75 MW plant is the first to move from paper to puddle, the remaining projects range from solar farms to battery storage installations, each intended to dovetail with the Integrated Resource Plan’s 2025 renewable targets. Eskom has committed to financing the initial pipeline on‑balance sheet, in line with its national treasury debt‑relief conditions, before turning to project‑finance vehicles, special‑purpose entities and strategic partnerships for later phases.
| Coal Station | Renewable Type | Planned Capacity (MW) | Expected Start‑up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lethabo | Solar PV | 75 | 2024 (construction) |
| Arnot | Solar PV | 200 | 2025‑2026 |
| Duvha | Solar PV + BESS | 300 | 2026‑2027 |
| Majuba | Solar PV | 150 | 2026‑2028 |
| Tutuka | Solar PV + BESS | 250 | 2027‑2028 |
| Komati | Solar PV | 180 | 2027‑2029 |
| Kendal | Solar PV + BESS | 220 | 2028‑2029 |
| Kusile | Solar PV | 250 | 2028‑2030 |
| Hendrina | Solar PV + BESS | 200 | 2029‑2030 |
| Camden | Solar PV | 120 | 2029‑2030 |
| Grootvlei | Solar PV + BESS | 200 | 2030 |
The table shows a diverse mix of solar‑only and solar‑plus‑battery projects, with total planned capacity surpassing 2 GW for the first wave alone. The staggered start‑up dates reflect Eskom’s intention to spread investment risk while meeting the 2030 target.
The key takeaway is that the Lethabo solar plant is the spearhead of a systematic, site‑based transition that could see more than 6 GW of renewable generation feeding the national grid within the next six years.
Beyond 2030, Eskom Green has publicly pledged a 32 GW portfolio of renewable energy and storage projects by 2040. To finance this ambitious expansion, the utility will shift from on‑balance‑sheet funding to specialised project finance structures, including special‑purpose vehicles (SPVs), co‑development agreements and the acquisition of late‑stage projects on third‑party land.
“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,” Dan Marokane said in a statement released after the groundbreaking ceremony.
Eskom’s track record of missing construction deadlines looms large over the plan. The utility itself admits that several of the 17 initial projects may not break ground for another two years, widening the gap between the single 75 MW start‑up and the 32 GW target by 2040 to roughly 425‑fold. Critics argue that without stringent project management and reliable financing, the pipeline could falter.
Nevertheless, the Lethabo solar plant represents a tangible shift in Eskom’s operational philosophy. By situating renewables on existing coal sites, the utility can bypass the lengthy process of securing new land rights, conducting fresh environmental impact assessments and building fresh transmission corridors. This “green on brown” model could become a template for other utilities grappling with the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.
As the nation wrestles with chronic load‑shedding and the imperative to cut carbon emissions, the success of Eskom’s Lethabo solar plant will be watched closely by policymakers, investors and the public alike. If the project proceeds on schedule and delivers its projected 147 GWh annually, it will not only power thousands of homes but also prove that South Africa can retrofit its coal legacy with sustainable infrastructure. The eyes of the continent are now on the Free State, where a modest solar field may herald a far larger, greener future for the country’s power sector.