Eskom has quietly taken an important step in the rollout of its long-awaited Virtual Wheeling product, awarding a significant contract in the past few weeks to Johannesburg-based Enerweb to build a software platform that will automate and scale the utilitys new wheeling model.
The appointment represents the most tangible move yet toward operationalising the Virtual Wheeling initiative, viewed as central to unlocking wheeling of electricity from independent power producers IPPs to smaller and low-voltage customers connected either to the Eskom distribution network or embedded within the distribution networks of municipalities in good standing with Eskom.
While traditional wheeling, virtual wheeling and electricity trading is seen an important in accelerating the countrys energy transition, it has simultaneously attracted industry controversy, sparked legal disputes, and exposed deep gaps in South Africas still-emerging electricity trading regime.
