PRETORIA: The government has initiated the Independent Transmission Projects (ITP) market sounding exercise, a request for information (RFI) aimed at spurring investment in the nation’s transmission infrastructure. This initiative seeks to bolster economic growth, encourage private sector involvement, and foster innovation within the energy sector.

According to South African Government News Agency, the market sounding exercise is intended to assess the interest and preparedness of industry stakeholders, as well as explore alternative models for developing and delivering power transmission infrastructure. The initiative is part of the broader Transmission Development Plan, with the goal of expediting its implementation. The National Treasury emphasized that achieving the country’s infrastructure investment goals, set at 10% of GDP, relies heavily on the effective mobilization of both public and private funds.

The RFI exercise is designed to collect insights regarding the market’s interest, capabilities, and
potential solutions for accelerating transmission infrastructure development. These insights are expected to inform the creation of an effective procurement framework, guide the development of regulatory instruments, and aid in the preparation of tender documents. Participation is open to various stakeholders, including private developers, financiers, development finance institutions, and others. The feedback received will be instrumental in determining the final structure of the tender and ensuring the successful implementation of the ITP program.

Stakeholders interested in contributing to the RFI process can submit their responses from December 12, 2024, to February 28, 2025. Detailed information on the submission process is accessible via the IPPO-ITP-RFI-2024 link.