Between May 2019 and 2024, 16 mining companies registered 242MW of private electricity generation with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). Of these registrations, 93% were for solar power.

Harmony Gold has the highest number of registrations for private solar power at 144MW for its mines in the Free State. Harmony is followed by Glencore with 60MW registered.

Harmony Gold said last year that their solar installations would save the mining company R425-million a year in electricity costs and help it reach net zero by 2045. It plans to finish installing solar power at its mines by 2025.

The only mining company to install a power source other than solar was Samancor Chrome, which registered 17MW of gas electricity for its Gauteng smelter.

The province with the highest number of registrations by mining companies is Gauteng, where seven out of 20 companies registered private power generation with Nersa.