The Department of Energy identified four areas within the Electricity Distribution Industry (EDI) that require policy and regulatory input. These four areas resulted in the selection of nine (9) municipalities to participate in projects that are aimed at addressing issues within a municipality. With what was envisioned by the DoE, these projects would serve as stepping stones in defining the future smart grids policy for South Africa. The aim and intention of these pilot projects is to demonstrate the value proposition of smart grid within each priority areas and also allow us to understand the business case and implementation lessons learned. Through an approved business plan between the DoE and SANEDI, the EU Programme builds into the DoE’s policy development in the following areas:
The table below illustrate the DoE priority areas, projects and participating municipalities;
| DoE Priorities | Smart Grid Projects | Participating municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| Distributed generation | Active Network Management | eThekwini |
| Monitoring and Evaluation of IPP’s | DoE implemented | |
| Revenue enhancement | Revenue Enhancement |
Nala Naledi Govan Mbeki Thabazimbi Mogale City |
| Advanced Metering Infrastructure in Residential and Commercial customer base | City Power | |
| Asset management | Advanced Asset Management |
Msunduzi Nelson Mandela Bay |
| Energy Efficiency Demand Side Management | Energy Efficiency in Public buildings | DoE Implemented |