Factors affecting private investment in new power generating capacity in South Africa

Abstract

Private Investment in electrical power generation will play a substantial role in South Africa’s massive capacity expansion programme over the next 20 years. Should this investment not materialise, South Africa’s security of electricity supply would be seriously compromised. The purpose of this research was to determine whether major factors that impact on the attractiveness of a country’s power sector to private investors are being catered for in South Africa and where the possible shortcomings are. The research was qualitative in nature and the methodology followed was to survey industry role players by way of a self-administered questionnaire. Response data were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics (hypothesis testing) where a one tailed, one sample t-Test was used. The findings of the research are that the South African legal system and the revenue generation potential of the power sector are advantages that the country can leverage off to attract power sector investors. Major stumbling blocks to private investor participation needing immediate attention, are the lack of responsiveness of Government to private sector needs and timeframes as well as the lack of independence of the Regulatory institutions and processes from Government interference whether perceived or real.