Falling Consumption and Demand for Electricity in South Africa - A Blessing and a Curse

Abstract

The world is facing its most significant public health problem of the century. A COVID-19 pandemic that has spread rapidly in many different regions and countries, such as South Africa, affects health systems, economies, and societies. The South African electricity sector was also affected by the pandemic, experiencing shocks in supply and demand, putting further pressure on the country's energy systems. In this context, this study explored the preliminary impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the South African electricity sector. Such consequences resulting from the containment measures and changes in the behavior of electricity use were investigated during the seven weeks after the beginning of the country's lockdown. To achieve the aim of this paper, exploratory research was carried out, given that the phenomenon is at an early stage, making use of three secondary research methods. The results show the severe drops in electricity consumption and peak demand, which reached 28.1% and 20.2%, respectively. Finally, it is presented the challenges faced by the South African electricity sector in the context of the pandemic, highlighting the possible ways to be traced to overcome these barriers in the post-pandemic, focusing on policy structures of the country's electricity sector.