SA now producing less electricity per month than it did in 2019, but charging much more

According to the latest Electricity, Gas and Water Supply Industry report, the total income for the electricity, gas and water supply industry in 2021 was R330.5 billion.

The results presented in this report were derived from the 2021 electricity, gas and water supply industry large sample survey. It is a periodic survey which measures economic activity in the electricity, gas and water supply sector of the South African economy.

This survey is based on a complete enumeration of private and public enterprises contributing to the top 99.5% of the industry turnover and adjustment factors were applied to compensate for the units contributing to the bottom 0.5% of industry turnover.  

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According to the survey, the total income represents an increase of 6.4% per annum over the income reported in the corresponding survey of 2019 (R292 billion).

Increases

Stats SA said that when comparing 2019 and 2021, large increases were reported for generation, transmission and distribution of electricity (+R31.7 billion) as well as collection, purification and distribution of water (+R4.5 billion).

Between 2013 and 2021, collection, purification and distribution of water gained the biggest percentage share (1.5 percentage points) in total income (from a percentage contribution of 12.1% in 2013 to 13.6% in 2021).

Generation, transmission and distribution of electricity lost the biggest percentage share (‑1.2 percentage points) over the same period (from 82.9% in 2013 to 81.7% in 2021).

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Electricity generated

The total electricity generated in 2021 was 215 377 gigawatt hours (GWh). This represents a decrease of 3.8% per annum over the electricity generated in the corresponding survey of 2019 (232 692 GWh).

The main contributor to total electricity generated was coal (86.1% or 185 459 GWh), followed by renewable energy sources (6.1% or 13 106 GWh) and nuclear material (4.6% or 9 929 GWh).

Coal loses biggest percentage share

Between 2013 and 2021, coal lost the biggest percentage share (-6.2 percentage points) in electricity generated (from a percentage contribution of 92.3% in 2013 to 86.1% in 2021).

Renewable energy sources gained the biggest percentage share (+5.6 percentage points) in electricity generated (from a percentage contribution of 0.5% in 2013 to 6.1% in 2021).