Current status
 
 

Potential

South Africa has an average rainfall of 500mm, which is low by world standards. This, combined with the seasonal flow of the country’s rivers and frequent droughts or floods, limits opportunities for hydropower. The country’s potential for hydropower is concentrated in a few areas along the eastern escarpment where there are 6,000 to 8,000 potential sites.

Table 2 reflects an overall assessment of all hydropower types in South Africa, taking into consideration both conventional and unconventional approaches. Unconventional hydropower development can take place in both rural and urban areas of South Africa by means of tapping hydropower from irrigation canals, bulk water supply pipelines, deep mining undertakings, etc. To date, there is practically no account of significant unconventional hydropower development in South Africa with the exception of the mining industry, which is using hydropower for conversion into mechanical energy.

The extent of investigation conducted leads to the conclusion that the present installed hydropower in South Africa reached a capacity of 2,267 MW, generating on average annually about 4,368 GWh. This represents about 2,3% of the total energy output in South Africa.

In the past, the theoretical hydropower potential of South Africa was estimated at some 8,360 MW or 54,925 GWh per annum at a 75% of loading. As can be seen from Table 2, the estimate of firm potential (i.e. an estimate based on reliable input sources and extensive research) for hydropower development in South Africa, stands at 12,160 MW, which is about 45% higher that any other previous estimate. However, the major component of this new estimate is a potential for development of seven pumped storage sites investigated as firmly feasible by ESKOM.

It is important to acknowledge that the firm macro and micro hydropower potential of South Africa is 5 times bigger than the presently installed hydropower capacity.

The table indicates that some 5,160 MW of additional renewable hydropower can potentially be exploited from rural and urban hydropower resources, for either electrical or mechanical energy conversion. Although it is unlikely that this hydropower potential will be ever fully exploited, increases in the price of electricity and various other local and international influences may initiate the process that some of this untapped hydropower will be gradually utilised. Nevertheless, appropriate incentives and suitable educational programmes can certainly contribute to speeding up the process.
  The potential for microhydropowrer has also been investigated by a

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